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BONN, Germany – Fairtrade cocoa farmers and cooperatives will benefit from increased premiums and a new safety net as they navigate the ‘perfect storm’ of challenges, including climate change, volatile markets, and rising costs. The new Fairtrade Minimum Price increases the safety net by 45%, with additional gains in the Fairtrade Premium paid to farmers and the differential to organic producers.
The new prices, which will go into effect in 2026, come after higher minimum prices for non-regulated markets were announced earlier this year. Special arrangements for premium allocation were also put in place for Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, where prices are regulated by the government.
Cocoa prices crashed from a high of around U.S. $12,000 per ton in 2024 to current levels, less than $6,000 a ton. Even when market prices rise, cocoa farmers don’t always benefit because gains are often wiped out by extreme weather, crop disease, and inflation.
There is an additional 50% lift in the organic differential for Fairtrade organic cocoa farmers, who face higher costs from compliance with forthcoming organic farming regulations out of the European Union (E.U.).
“The organic differential helps offset the rising certification and production costs organic farmers are experiencing,” said Abby Massey, Sr. Commercial Partnerships Manager, Fairtrade America. “Currently, there is a shortage of Fairtrade organic cocoa that is making it difficult for brands to source ingredients that align with their values and their consumers’ expectations.
New E.U. organic legislation, combined with changing weather patterns and high prices for conventional cocoa, have contributed to the shortage. By raising the organic differential, we hope to incentivize organic farmers who are looking to cut costs by switching to conventional methods to remain organic and better positioned to meet our partners’ supply needs.”
New Fairtrade cocoa pricing at a glance:
- The Fairtrade Minimum Price for conventional cocoa increases to U.S. $3,500 per metric ton in Ghana, or €3,200 in Côte d’Ivoire, from October 1, 2026, to match the Fairtrade pricing across non-regulated markets.
- The Fairtrade Premium for all countries increases to U.S. $275 per metric ton, and to €250 payable in Côte d’Ivoire. The Premium comes into effect on October 1, 2026, in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, and from June 11, 2026, in all other countries.
- The Fairtrade Organic Differential increases to U.S. $450 per metric ton, or €410 in Côte d’Ivoire, payable from October 1, 2026, in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, and from June 11, 2026, in all other countries.
- In Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, from October 1, 2026, 40% of the Fairtrade Premium must be allocated as cash payments to cooperative members, while a minimum 10% must be invested in the co-op itself, 10% in farm services, and 10% in community projects.
“Chocolate is a $130 billion industry, yet the smallholder farmers who grow most of the world’s cocoa survive on less than $2 per day. If we want to ensure a future where everyone can enjoy the chocolate they know and love, the industry must help provide farmers with the resources needed to counter today’s challenges. With fairer pricing, farmers can invest in the long-term sustainability of their land and their communities, which drives supply chain resilience everyone benefits from.”
To arrive at these changes, Fairtrade undertook a public consultation and analyzed 225 responses from producer countries in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as from commercial partners, Fairtrade offices and other NGOs, sector initiatives, and international associations. Fairtrade’s cocoa pricing was last updated in 2019.
