Dear Coles and Woolworths,

The future of chocolate is uncertain.

The future of cocoa farming is uncertain.

My future is uncertain.

Farmers are not able to sell enough cocoa to make a sustainable income. Our cocoa trees are aging and provide fewer cocoa pods. The next generation of cocoa farmers, our children, do not want to follow us into farming. They see no future in it with the hard work and low income.

I joined Fairtrade because I benefit from the safety net of the Fairtrade Minimum Price and the Fairtrade Premium invested in our communities. But I only receive these benefits when I sell my cocoa on Fairtrade terms

So when consumers in Australia buy Fairtrade certified chocolate, it makes a huge difference to me, my family, and my community. These consumers are telling me that they would like to buy Fairtrade certified chocolate but there are very few options on your shelves.

If you stock more Fairtrade certified Easter chocolate for consumers to buy, we will be able to sell more of our cocoa on Fairtrade terms. So we the farmers, together with the Australian consumers, are calling on you, the retailers, to double your national ranging of Fairtrade certified Easter products in 2016.

Yours sincerely,

Mary Appiah

Fairtrade cocoa farmer