Conference room and various delegates.




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Background: Fourteen of the world's major cocoa exporting and importing countries are meeting for the next two weeks in Switzerland to consider an international marketing agreement for cocoa.

The conference is being held in Geneva under the auspices of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.

This meeting has been preceded by detailed private discussions between some member countries. The possibility of a marketing agreement was reported last week to have been brought nearer by an agreement reached between Ghana, the world's largest cocoa producer, and the United States, the world's largest consumer.

Ghana is reported to have submitted the proposal to other producers, including the Ivory Coast, Togo, Nigeria, Camercon, Brazil, Equador and Mexico.

The agreement reached by Ghana and the United States is reported to have covered the question of minimum and maximum prices, allowing for a minimum and maximum prices, allowing for a minimum of 20 cents U.S. a pound and a maximum of 28 cents U.S. a pound.

Present cocoa production totals 1,300-million tons a year.

The meeting is due to adjourn on October 4.