Cocoa Mission 2019
A majority of the beans go to the port of Amsterdam, where beans are processed into derivative products like powder, liquor, and butter in various grinding facilities located in the nearby Zaanstreek area. The purpose of this cocoa-focused commercial mission was promoting both trade and development. These widely endorsed objectives were reflected in the broad scope of the delegates, which included 46 representatives from provincial government, municipal councils, the business community, the port, research and educational institutions, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). During the five-day program several meetings took place with (e.g.) government representatives, the Conseil du Café Cacao in Côte d’Ivoire, the Ghana Cocoa Board, and authorities of the Ivorian ports of Abidjan and San Pedro.