Dominican Republic

In 1988, CONACADO (the National Confederation of Dominican Cacao Producers) was founded to organise farmers struggling to survive low global cocoa market prices, to improve the quality of cacao from farmers, and to access new international markets. The co-operative has grown from 700 farmers to over 9,500 members today, and has a strong focus on organic and sustainable production.

The farmers of CONACADO now export roughly 25% of the cacao from the Dominican Republic, and the co-operative is the largest exporter of organic cacao in the world. Through Fair Trade, CONACADO, has been able to invest in its quality systems, build wells for safe drinking water, repair schools and health centres, and more.