Important factors affecting production and marketing in a cocoa supply chain

A sustainable cocoa production needs a solid supply chain and its possible interventions. Therefore, this research aimed to analyze the main factors in sustainable cocoa production and marketing, focusing on farmers as the core stakeholders in the cocoa supply chain. This research used a quantitative survey method. The data was collected using a questionnaire that asked questions about the production of cocoa beans, ranging from cocoa cultivation to post-harvest and marketing. To achieve the research objectives, confirmatory factor analysis and probit regression were used. The results show that the availability of seeds, applying chemical and organic fertilizers, use of pesticides, and farming capital were the main factors in cocoa cultivation. The use of organic fertilizers offered the biggest contribution, followed by chemical fertilizers and farming capital. Water content and cleanliness of cocoa beans were the main factor of post-harvest. Supplier attributes, such as education, access to extension, farming experience, off-farm, access to credit, and access to production inputs, affected the sale of cocoa beans to marketing outlets.