COCOA FARMERS from Ghana are to visit York, the chocolate capital of the North, to urge consumers to help farmers get a fair price for cocoa.

The two visitors, both involved in Ghana's chocolate industry, want to persuade the city's chocolate lovers to help by eating more Fairtrade chocolate.

Comfort Kwaasibea, a Fairtrade cocoa farmer and Rijayatu, the 14-year-old daughter of a Fairtrade farmer will come to York on Tuesday as part of the Fairtrade Fortnight celebrations.

The pair will visit All Saints' School, Burnholme Community College, the University of York and the City Screen cinema, where they will give out free chocolate before attending a meeting of York's Fairtrade Forum.

Rijayatu will be given a special young persons' tour of the city by pupils of Burnholme Community College.

The visit is part of thousands of events organised across Britain to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight.

The national campaign, runs from March 3 to March 16 and promotes an alternative way of trading which gives workers who struggle to earn a living a guaranteed price for their crops.

Comfort and Rijayatu are both from the Kuapa Kokoo cocoa farmers co-operative in Ghana. They grow Fairtrade cocoa for Divine and Dubble, the brands of the visit co-ordinators, The Day Chocolate Company.

Statistics show that while the average Briton spends £1.20 a week on chocolate, the average cocoa farmer earns less than £150 a year and has never even tasted the confectionery.

Sophi Tranchell, managing director of The Day Chocolate Company, said: "We have a busy day ahead and are looking forward to talking to people about how simply by choosing to buy Divine or Dubble Fairtrade chocolate you can help hundreds of cocoa growers in Ghana work towards better lives."

Updated: 09:36 Thursday, February 27, 2003