AMCO’s sourcing office is located in Tabasco, the area of Mexico where cocoa beans are primarily grown. Having a facility located in the heart of the producing region not only strengthens our relationship with the local farmers, but also provides us with an in-depth account of the hardships facing the community. Over the years, cocoa producers and their families have experienced repeated challenges that threaten their livelihoods. In response, AMCO has created credit and consulting and educational programs in an effort to help farmers overcome these obstacles.

Credit Program
ECOM has created a credit program that offers ‘buying credits’ to farmers. The ‘buying credits’ function as a cash advance against future cocoa bean crops that farmers will deliver to AMCO and ECOM. By receiving their earnings at a time when they are needed most, producers can afford necessary repairs and maintenance costs, thus securing a better future for their families and their farms.

The funding provided by the ‘buying credits’ program serves as working capital for producers, and can be used in a variety of ways that include:

• Purchasing necessary equipment for the farm and/or mill
• Repairing or building fermentation facilities or drying patios
• Purchasing fertilizer to guarantee increased production levels and crop quality
• Payment of town fees for water use, etc.
• Labor costs – milling, harvesting, etc.

Consulting and Educational Programs
ECOM strongly believes in personal accountability and responsibility. By providing farmers with the proper training and education in farming practices, they will have the necessary knowledge needed to become fully self-sufficient and solidify their position within the industry. We realize that many producers are not aware of the techniques and methods that they can use to improve their crops. In response to this:

AMCO, along with government institutions, finances technical courses for farmers where they learn how to incorporate new farming methods and improve the quality of their cocoa beans.

We serve as a consultant to farmers in the areas of fertilization, farming techniques, quality control, yield calculation and accounting.

At Galeana, a teaching farm owned by AMCO, producers have the opportunity to take farming classes and participate in practical courses.