Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/234259 
Year of Publication: 
2021
Series/Report no.: 
GlobalFood Discussion Papers No. 150
Publisher: 
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Research Training Group (RTG) 1666 - GlobalFood, Göttingen
Abstract: 
Large chocolate manufacturers have committed themselves to only using certifiedcocoa beans and some governments want to increase the share of certified cocoaproducts consumed in their countries. Thus, Voluntary Sustainability Standards(VSSs) become quasi-mandatory for cocoa producers and grinders to ensure accessto these markets. Yet, their trade effects are unclear. We study the effect of a VSSon raw and processed cocoa exports. We use a unique dataset that contains the UTZCertified cocoa production quantity of cocoa-producing countries from 2010 to 2016.This allows us to estimate a gravity model of trade and analyse the effect of the shareof UTZ Certified cocoa production quantity in a country on the trade value of rawcocoa beans, cocoa powder, cocoa paste and cocoa butter. Our results show thatUTZ certification only enhances bilateral exports of cocoa beans and paste, while itreduces exports of cocoa butter and has mixed effects on cocoa powder exports.
Subjects: 
cocoa trade
UTZ Certified
voluntary sustainability standards
gravity model
JEL: 
F14
Q17
Q18
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.