This guest-post is brought to you by Joanna.

We all love chocolate.

And we love to give – and receive – chocolate for Valentines. It’s big business: Valentines Day accounts for something like 12% of all chocolate sales in the US. An estimated 36 million heart shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold.

But does chocolate come in a heart shaped business as well as a heart shaped box?

Image credit: Stewart Butterfield.

The chocolate business does have a dark side. Millions of families whose livelihoods depend on cocoa production live in extreme poverty. Income from the crop is unstable depending on fluctuations in the global market. The price the farmer might not even cover the cost of production. There are concerns about working conditions including unsafe working conditions, use of pesticides and child slavery in some parts of the world.

But if that’s leaving a bitter taste in your mouth – never fear. There is a positive alternative and it’s called Fair Trade.

As an introduction to what Fair Trade’s all about, here are 14 reasons to love Fair Trade Chocolate this Valentines:

1. Fair Trade cocoa farmers receive a minimum price to cover the cost of sustainable production
2. Fair Trade schemes help families out of the poverty trap when the market price is often below the cost of production
3. A stable income means dignity as well as security
4. A premium is paid for social and economic development in the community (schools, wells etc)
5. Fair Trade schemes offer access to affordable credit, so small businesses can develop
6. Safe worker conditions are guaranteed
7. Fair Trade prohibits abusive child labour
8. Fair Trade guarantees environmentally sustainable methods of production
9. Cocoa is one of the most environmentally friendly of tropical crops
10. It’s an independent consumer label – protecting your rights and interests too
11. Fair Trade gives you - the consumer - the chance to make a difference
12. There are lots of fantastic Fair Trade chocolate products – and recipes - to try
13. It’s a guilt-free way to enjoy chocolate
14. It might just open the door to love – check the following video (1 min 23 sec)!

Recommended reads:

• What is Fairtrade?
• Make trade fair
• Dignity for cocoa farmers
• Fairtrade, chocolate and cocoa
• The chocolate industry
• Treehugger: The bitter truth about chocolate

Some examples of suppliers – and delicious recipes!

• Global exchange list of Fair Trade companies
• Nutty Chocolate and Coffee Brownies

Joanna Young writes at the Confident Writing blog where she coaches people to realise the power of their own words.