Getting better pay for cocoa farmers is the reason why the world's two largest cocoa producers are putting pressure on chocolate multinationals.

Ivory Coast and Ghana have been asking producers for fairer remuneration for several years. These two countries, which represent more than 60% of the world's cocoa bean production, have issued a press release giving an ultimatum to manufacturers.

In this press release, the Ivorian Cacao Coffee Council and the Cocobod (Regulatory and Aid Bodies of Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana) gave until November 20 to respect the amount of subsidies intended to lift farmers out of poverty. Multinational cocoa companies are supposed to pay the premium to producers. Thus, the Café-Cacao Council and Cocobod will “make recommendations to their governments to suspend sustainability programs.”