The table illustrates how much cocoa beans were produced in six regions from 1992 to 1998, measured in tons.
Overall, it is readily apparent that cocoa output in most regions fluctuated by varying degrees, while South America was the only region to embark on a downward trend. Notably, Africa was by far the largest producer, with its production far exceeding that of the remaining surveyed regions whilst Oceania remained the smallest generator in cocoa beans.
Looking first at the major producer, Africa dominated cocoa beans output in all regions surveyed, increasing from 1,397,000 tons to a peak of 1,920,000 tons in 1996 whose numbers registered the most pronounced growth rates before a modest drop to 1,822,000 tons at the end of the period. South America, on the other hand, kept cutting back on its output, with their production falling from 568,000 tons in the first year to settling at around 333,000 in 1998. Meanwhile, Asia’s production followed the similar pattern, but to a less pronounced extent, which increased to a peak of 498,000 tons before edging down to around 414,000 tons in the final year.
Turning next to the remaining regions, the gap between cocoa bean production in North America and the Caribbean initially narrowed, at around 50,000 tons and 52,000 tons, respectively. Thereafter, North Central America’s production bottomed out at 42,000 tons in 1994 but later followed by a slight recovery that brought its number back to its initial level, while the Caribbean’s cocoa beans generation experienced steady growth and stabilized at around 68,000 tons in 1998. Finally, the cocoa beans yield in Oceania also dwindled significantly, albeit a lower base, from 42,000 tons in 1992 to around 34,000 tons, reflecting a decline of 8,000 tons from the initial number.