Good prospects for small sub-regional cocoa farmers

FOLLOWING COCOA missions carried out by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in four Eastern Caribbean states in August, 2025, the UN Agriculture body has found that cocoa holds good prospects for improving the lot of small farmers in the four states. The FAO missions were conducted in St Lucia, Dominica, Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines between August 6 to 26, 2025, with the findings released at the end of October, 2025.

The aim was to assess the status of the cocoa sector and explore opportunities for sustainable growth and international market positioning. The mission was led by Gustavo Ferro, FAO Cocoa Market Analysis Specialist, under FAO’s Regular Programme Funds and in alignment with the project “Strengthening the Foundations for a Specialty Cocoa Sector in the Caribbean”.

The FAO said its mission explored opportunities to enhance productivity and competitiveness while identifying pathways for sustainable development of the Eastern Caribbean cocoa sector.

“It is well recognized that cocoa holds significant potential to strengthen local economies, improve rural livelihoods, and tap into specialty premium fine-flavor markets,” a release from the FAO states.

Some key findings from the mission suggest that while notable differences exist across the four countries, the region’s diverse network of smallholder farmers can be transformed into a source of greater competitiveness through enhanced coordination, looking at the possibility of aggregation, and streamlined logistics. Encouragingly, the mission finds that farmers, processors, and community groups are revitalizing the sector through bean-to-bar chocolate initiatives, artisanal cocoa products, and a renewed interest in traditional cocoa tea.

It found that when combined with a strong tourism sector, these developments point to significant potential for origin branding, agro-tourism linkages, and niche market development.

Over the course of the mission, Ferro met with Ministries of Agriculture, producer groups, cooperatives, exporters, chambers of commerce and private processors, conducted field visits to farms and processing facilities to assess production systems, post-harvest practices, and quality assurance mechanisms. In addition, he held debrief sessions with permanent secretaries and technical staff of the respective Ministries of Agriculture.

Several key outcomes are expected from the mission including, situational analyses for each country, outlining strengths, gaps, and opportunities across the cocoa value chain. The information will feed into an Eastern Caribbean cocoa sector roadmap to strengthen positioning in fine and flavour cocoa markets along with a comprehensive report and presentation to be delivered at the upcoming Subregional Dialogue and Validation Workshop.

Gustavo Ferro, FAO Cocoa Market Analysis Specialist, noted that feedback across the four islands has been very positive.

“In Saint Lucia, farmer groups and local processors are capturing more value through bean-to-bar chocolate, other value-added cocoa products, and cocoa-based tourism, showing that even a modest production base can sustain a vibrant market,” he said.

“In Dominica, the island’s rich biodiversity and agroforestry systems offer a natural advantage for high-quality cocoa. With stronger post-harvest infrastructure and farmer incentives, Dominica could secure a place in the specialty cocoa market,” he added.

He also commended Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines: “Grenada continues to shine with its distinctive fine-flavour cocoa and entrepreneurial farmers, while Saint Vincent and the Grenadines stands out for its resilience- where dedicated producers keep the country’s cocoa heritage alive.”

President of the North East Cocoa Producers Cooperative in Dominica, Jennifer Pascal, stated that, “Our members were deeply engaged in the discussions with Mr Ferro, and it was inspiring to see their enthusiasm for strengthening Dominica’s cocoa sector. The meeting brought renewed energy to our cooperative and reaffirmed the strong potential of our industry. We look forward to building on this momentum to position Dominica’s cocoa as a high-quality product that sustains our farmers and communities.”

Looking ahead, FAO, in partnership with the Cocoa Research Centre of the University of the West Indies, will convene a subregional dialogue on the Specialty Cocoa Sector this month in Trinidad and Tobago. This event will bring together stakeholders from across the Eastern Caribbean to validate findings, share best practices, and chart a roadmap for sustainable growth and enhanced international competitiveness.