Top Cocoa Bean Producing Countries

Cocoa bean farming is concentrated in tropical regions near the equator, with Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and Ghana leading global production, together supplying over 60% of the world’s cocoa. Other significant producers include Indonesia, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Brazil. The history of cocoa bean cultivation traces back to the ancient civilizations of Mesoamerica, particularly the Olmecs, Mayans, and Aztecs, who first domesticated the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) and used its beans to make ceremonial and everyday beverages. After the Spanish conquest of the Americas in the 16th century, cocoa was introduced to Europe, where demand for chocolate products grew rapidly, spurring the establishment of cocoa plantations in European colonies in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Over time, West Africa emerged as the dominant cocoa-producing region due to its favorable climate and colonial-era agricultural policies, a legacy that continues to shape the global cocoa industry today.

Data from United Nations FAO Stat