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Periodical article | Leiden University catalogue | WorldCat |
Title: | Farmers, Traders and Brokers in the Gold Coast Cocoa Economy |
Author: | Southall, Roger J. |
Year: | 1978 |
Periodical: | Canadian Journal of African Studies |
Volume: | 12 |
Issue: | 2 |
Pages: | 185-211 |
Language: | English |
Geographic term: | Ghana |
Subjects: | cocoa domestic trade Economics and Trade Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) |
External link: | https://www.jstor.org/stable/484900 |
Abstract: | Purpose is to illustrate the nature of the relationship between one particular buying firm (Cadbury) and its suppliers, and to hypothesize about the nature of the development that brokerage underwent. It is argued a) that in the early years of the industry, the buying firms were mainly supplied by African trading concerns and individuals who were closely linked with the productive process of cocoa growing; but that the major producer-trader concerns of this type were smashed by cocoa prices slump in 1920-21; b) the network of brokers and sub-brokers not involved in the actual cocoa production became important only in the second decade of the century; c) with the continuing expansion of the industry in the inter-war years, the buying firms became increasingly dependent on the large brokers; d) this growing dependence was utilized by brokers to demand higher payment from their employers, who ultimately resorted to the formation of the 1937 Buying Agreement, which had the intention to break the brokers autonomy. Notes, tables, French summary. |