Read the passage below carefully:
For decades, small-scale cocoa farmers in Ondo State relied on traditional heap fermentation, covering harvested beans with banana leaves on the forest floor. While this method produced the rich flavor demanded by local processors, the lack of temperature regulation often led to uneven fermentation batches and high moisture retention. Consequently, local buying agents routinely downgraded whole harvests, offering prices far below market value. To reverse this economic loss, a regional agricultural collective introduced wooden sweatboxes equipped with drainage channels and digital temperature probes. Although the initial capital investment required farmers to pool their savings, the standardized fermentation process significantly reduced mold contamination. Within two harvest cycles, participating farmers reported an eighty percent reduction in downgraded yields. Surprisingly, European specialty chocolatiers began offering premium contracts directly to the collective, bypassing traditional intermediary merchants entirely.
Based on the passage, evaluate the following statement:
"Before the adoption of wooden sweatboxes, smallholder cocoa farmers in Ondo State suffered financial losses mainly due to inconsistent bean quality rather than a lack of market demand for their produce."
Is the statement True or False?
Cevap: Cevap