A kilogram of Malagasy cocoa, processed into chocolate and sold on European markets, generates a value far exceeding the price paid to the producer. According to a study by Dr. Amena Abdirassoul, an expert in trade policy and lecturer at the University of Antananarivo, the farmer receives only 0.2% of the final value.
The study, which focuses on the integration of Malagasy cocoa into international value chains between 2000 and 2018, reveals a significant asymmetry in the distribution of value. While the Malagasy producer captures only 0.2%, the exporter receives 0.7%. The vast majority of the value is captured downstream in the chain, abroad, particularly by processing and marketing entities.
This finding is striking despite the fact that the price paid to producers has risen sharply in recent years, climbing from approximately 1,500 ariary per kilo in 2016 to tens of thousands of ariary today. While this growth improves producer incomes, it does not fundamentally alter the distribution of value within the international chain.
According to Dr. Abdirassoul, rising international cocoa prices do not automatically translate into better living conditions for producers. It is primarily the increase in the price effectively paid at the local level that can positively impact their income and help reduce poverty.
Meanwhile, Malagasy cocoa production has grown significantly over the last decade, reaching nearly 15,000 tons per year. However, this increase in volume is not enough to ensure a better distribution of income in producing areas, where poverty remains high.
For the researcher, one of the main levers is to increase cocoa processing within Madagascar. Industrializing the sector would allow more value-added to be retained in the country, rather than primarily exporting raw materials whose processing and marketing generate the bulk of the value abroad.
The challenge is to ensure that Madagascar’s integration into the global cocoa market benefits those who cultivate this wealth more effectively. Exporting more is not enough; producers must also capture a much larger share of the value created by Malagasy cocoa.
Captured & Published at: 2026-08-25 06:24:20 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/08/commerce-la-filiere-cacao-rapporte-02.html
