Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agribusiness

Grenadian cocoa and chocolate producers increased their knowledge about sanitary standards for export

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

With the support of IICA, the cocoa sector of this Caribbean country will continue to make progress in adopting good sanitary, trade, and production practices.

St. George’s, Grenada, 15 April 2019 (IICA). Through a series of workshops offered by IICA, the Grenada Chocolate Company, a small cooperative of cocoa farmers and chocolate producers in this Caribbean country, was able to strengthen its capacity to meet the required sanitary standards for trading its products internationally.

Members of the cooperative increased their expertise in areas related to compliance standards, food safety certification, and occupational risks and security.

Margarita McDonald, Manager of the factory, acknowledged that, “This is the first time that the staff is participating in an activity of this nature, and we thank IICA for this opportunity to boost our production capacity”.

Maintaining that there are still areas that need to be strengthened, Derek Charles, National Specialist at the Grenada Office of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), said that, “The Company should continue to progress in environmental management and in streamlining the method by which farmers cultivate cocoa beans, thus ensuring that production progresses in keeping with environmental and health concerns”.

Cocoa and chocolate producers affiliated with the Grenada Chocolate Company cultivate the crop according to organic standards, and utilizing planting, fermentation, and production processes that are aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of the final product – chocolate bars.

The cooperative was established to ensure that small farmers were fairly compensated for their work, while also benefiting from the profits of the company. Today they have more than 80 hectares under cultivation, with which they hope to position the country as a fine and flavor cocoa producer.

More information:

Derek Charles, National Specialist, IICA Grenada.

derek.charles@iica.int

 

Share

Related news​

San José, Costa Rica

June 5, 2025

At IICA, Costa Rican cacao producers are recognized for the excellence of their products and for their contribution to rural development and nutrition in the region

Experts analyzed 15 samples of cacao from various parts of the Central American country, with the five that received the highest scores then declared winners of the 2025 competition. The same five samples were sent to Rome, Italy, where they will represent Costa Rica in the international “Cacao of Excellence” competition, the stepping stone to the International Cocoa Awards.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Turrialba, Costa Rica

June 3, 2025

On a study visit to Costa Rica, ministers of Agriculture, rural youth and women of the Eastern Caribbean were introduced to improved agricultural practices

The mission began with two days of activities at IICA Headquarters in San Jose, including meeting with the IICA Director General, Manuel Otero. The visitors then travelled to CATIE.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San José, Costa Rica

June 2, 2025

Ibero-America sees biofuels as a solution to decarbonize the energy sector  

The annual meeting of the Ibero-American Association of Energy Regulators (ARIAE), held in San Jose and Guanacaste, Costa Rica, featured the II Entrepreneurial Forum, attracting 200 participants, including the Costa Rican Minister of Environment and Energy, the Executive Secretary of the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) and authorities of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB); the XV Regular Annual Meeting of the ARIAE General Assembly, which was attended by 17 regulatory agencies of ARIAE; and the XXVI Annual Meeting of ARIAE Energy Regulators.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins