UPSC Prelims 2024 Q5: World's Largest Cocoa Producers — Explained
Which of the following countries are well known as the two largest cocoa producers in the world?
- Algeria and Morocco
- Botswana and Namibia
- Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana
- Madagascar and Mozambique
Answer: (c) Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana
Statement-wise explanation
- a: incorrect — Algeria and Morocco are in North Africa, roughly 28°N to 36°N, with Mediterranean and hot-desert climates. Cocoa grows only in hot, humid lowlands within about 20° of the Equator. Neither country is a cocoa producer. Algeria is known for oil and gas, and Morocco for phosphates.
- b: incorrect — Botswana and Namibia are dry countries in southern Africa, covered largely by the Kalahari and Namib deserts. They do not have the steady heat, rain and humidity that the cacao tree needs. Neither grows cocoa commercially. Botswana is known for diamonds.
- c: correct — FAO describes Côte d'Ivoire as the world's largest cocoa producer, with about 40% of global supply, and Ghana as the second largest. Both lie on the Gulf of Guinea, at about 5°N to 11°N, in West Africa's equatorial cocoa belt. The World Bank says this belt produces about 70% of the world's cocoa.
- d: incorrect — Madagascar and Mozambique are tropical, but neither is a major cocoa producer. Madagascar is famous for vanilla, and Mozambique for cashew. The large cocoa producers after the top two are Indonesia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ecuador and Brazil.
How to eliminate
Use climate to remove two options. Cocoa grows only in hot, wet equatorial lowlands, roughly between 20°N and 20°S. Algeria and Morocco are subtropical deserts or Mediterranean lands, and Botswana and Namibia are semi-arid to desert. That leaves two options, and both are tropical. To choose between them, you need one fact: the world's cocoa belt is on the Gulf of Guinea coast of West Africa, not the Indian Ocean coast of East Africa. Remember that Côte d'Ivoire is number 1 and Ghana is number 2 in cocoa, and you have the answer.
Know more
Cocoa comes from the seeds of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao). The tree is native to the Amazon basin. It grows only in a narrow climate belt, about 20°N–20°S. It needs high temperatures all year, plenty of well-spread rain, high humidity and partial shade. It is a classic plantation crop, but in West Africa most cocoa is grown by smallholders.
Why West Africa leads: the hot, humid lowlands behind the Gulf of Guinea suit the tree well. The World Bank says this belt supplies about 70% of world cocoa. That concentration makes world prices very sensitive to weather there. In 2023-24, El Niño-linked heavy rain and disease cut harvests in Côte d'Ivoire. Global output fell about 14%, from 4.9 to 4.2 million tonnes, and prices hit record highs.
| Producer | Region | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Côte d'Ivoire | West Africa (Gulf of Guinea) | No. 1, about 40% of world supply (FAO) |
| Ghana | West Africa (Gulf of Guinea) | No. 2 |
| Indonesia | South-East Asia | Leading Asian producer |
| Nigeria, Cameroon | West/Central Africa | Rest of the African belt |
| Ecuador, Brazil | South America | Near the crop's Amazonian home |
Cocoa in India: India produced about 32.91 thousand tonnes in 2024-25 (PIB). The main states are Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. In India, cocoa is mostly an intercrop under coconut and arecanut, which give it the shade it needs. The Directorate of Cashewnut and Cocoa Development in Kochi promotes the crop. The Union Budget 2026-27 announced a dedicated programme for cashew and cocoa.
Other crop leaders to remember: Madagascar for vanilla; Côte d'Ivoire for cashew and cocoa; India for coconut (PIB, 2026).
In the news
Cocoa prices surged to record levels in early 2024, before the June 2024 Prelims. Poor harvests in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, linked to El Niño weather, were the cause. The World Bank reported a 26% month-on-month jump in February 2024 alone.
NCERT Concepts to Revise
- Cocoa belt: Explains the climate cocoa needs, which lets you rule out the desert and semi-arid country pairs straight away.
- Gulf of Guinea: Placing each country pair on the Gulf of Guinea or elsewhere is the map skill this question tests.
- Plantation agriculture: Cocoa is a tropical plantation crop; knowing where plantation agriculture is concentrated narrows the options.
- Harmattan: This dry Saharan wind blows across West Africa's cocoa-growing coast and affects harvests and prices.