9/11/2014

Mrunal Geographica factors: Plantation Industry & Cocoa Triangle

- Mrunal - http://mrunal.org -

[Location Factors] Plantation industry & types in Asia &

Africa, Cocoa Triangle
1. Prologue
2. Plantations: Why?
1. Types of Plantation crops
2. Factor: Gestation
3. Factor: Price shocks
3. Cocoa
1. Ghana, Cocoa Triangle
2. Factor: Bean Processing

Prologue
In the last three articles, we saw geographical factors that affect the location of timber
and fish industry; Natural fibers: wool, cotton, silk and jute industry; Cereals: wheat,
rich and corn; and finally milk, meat, poultry and pig rearing industry. Now lets
examine location factors for a few beverage and plantation crops viz. tea, coffee,
cocoa, sugar and rubber. Disclaimer as usual: not covering everything.

Plantations: Why?
Factors responsible for development of plantations in Asia and America:
1. Suez Canal was opened in 1869= this reduce the distance between Asia and
Europe
2. sail based ship were replaced with steam based ship=faster, more carrying
capacity
3. Industrial revolution= demand for rubber as eraser, waterproofing material+
consumer demand for tea, coffee, tobacco.
4. imperialism:
a. cheap labour = already available in colonies
b. Capital/finance= provided by Europeans.
there is some difference in the origin of Asian vs. American plantations:

American plantations
usually owned by rich
families

Whats the difference?

Asian plantations
Setup, Financed and controlled by commercial

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Mrunal Geographica factors: Plantation Industry & Cocoa Triangle

companies based in Europe.

was started with help of
African slave labor.

with help of locals + indentured laborers from

India, China.

Types of Plantation crops

Three types based on relative maturation time and longevity of production
type

character

1. tree crops

lifecycle >2 years

take years to mature
remain productive for long period
oil palm, coconut, cocoa, rubber, coffee

2. field crops

Need less maintenance than tree crops.

sugarcane, banana

3. annuals

single planting, harvested within a year

cotton, jute, tobacco, groundnut

Factor: Gestation
Plantation of rubber, cocoa, coffee= need large scale investment, you will not
see profit for many years, until the tree matures.
Such crops are unsuitable for small scale planter because he cant afford to keep
land unproductive for more than a year.
Annual crop are better suited for smallholder, they allow greater flexibility in
planting followed by a harvest the same year. Hence plantation system has
almost retreated from sub-tropics: they instead grow tobacco/cotton.

Factor: Price shocks

Even when the commodity prices fall in the world market, the plantation owner
must continue to operate, he cannot is rapidly switch to another crop.
On the other hand small scale farmers can grow an alternative crop to fetch
them higher price. E.g. Many UP farmers have shifted to other crops.

Cocoa Plantations
Originally from Central and South America, associated with Aztec civilization.
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Mrunal Geographica factors: Plantation Industry & Cocoa Triangle

Spanish brought it to Europe, but only after Europeans learned the art of
chocolate making, cocoa demand increased.
Then Europeans introduced cocoa in West African countries.

Ghana, Cocoa Triangle

In Ghana, the triangular area between Takoradi, Kumasi and Accra towns has
Concentration of cocoa plantations, hence called Cocoa Triangle.
soil, climate

cocoa tree need warm wet climate, forest protection.Ghana

being in the equatorial belt. So all conditions met.
need lot of cheap laborers because

labour

1. cocoa fruits have to be manually cut with a machete.

2. Since cocoa trees grown in jungle areas= have to
manually carry it near the mainroad/railway line.
Ghana has abundant supply of cocoa-labourers known as
Tumbadors.

transport/market

Port of Takoradi and Tema.Mainly grown for export to US and

dairy countries of Europe (Swiz, Den, Neth).

Factor: Processing
(just for information)
cocoa fruitpod=> pulp removed= you get 20-30 seeds from each pod
Seeds covered in banana leaves and allowed to ferment for a week=> sun dried.
Tropical damp climate = cocoa beans quickly lose flavor after roasting.
Therefore, further processing done in the importing country (e.g. USA)
they roast the bean=>grind=> you get two products
1. Powder: mix with sugar, milk & make chocolate.
2. Cocoa-butter: used in cosmetics, cream-lipstick, pharmaceuticals etc.
So why does Ghana export cocoa-beans, why not finished products?
1. Unlike USA, Ghana doesnt have abundant supply of other ingredients of
chocolate/confectionary items viz. milk and sugar. Even if Ghana imported
milk/sugar from elsewhere to make chocolates, the final market is in
US/Europe=> transport cost makes the industry @disadvantage.
2. Ghana doesnt have drug/cosmetic industry that can efficiently utilize byproduct: cocoa-butter. (because drug/cosmetic industry require skilled labour)
Ecuador used to be a major cocoa exporter but trees were plagued by fungal
disease=> farmer switched to banana, coffee and sugar cane.
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Mrunal Geographica factors: Plantation Industry & Cocoa Triangle

In the next article, we will discuss the graphical factors affecting the location of
rubber plantations in Malaysia and India.

Published on 28/07/2013 @ 8:17 pm under Category: Geography

URL to article: http://mrunal.org/2013/07/geography-location-factors-sugar-teacoffee-rubber-and-cocoa-for-upsc-general-studies-mains-paper-1.html

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