Cocoa is a key export commodity for Ghana and Ivory Coast
Leading cocoa producer Ivory Coast has resumed cocoa sales for the 2025/26 season after adjusting its pricing, ending a months-long standoff with international buyers.
This follows the country’s Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC) reportedly reducing or removing the “country premium,” which is an extra fee added to Ivorian cocoa, to align with global market prices and restart trade.
The dispute began after exporters rejected the government’s fixed farmgate price of 2,800 CFA francs ($5.09) per kilogram, which had become uncompetitive following a 50 percent drop in global cocoa prices, according to Bloomberg.
Ivory Coast unsold cocoa stocks set to soar if price standoff persists – Report
The delay left over 200,000 metric tons of cocoa unsold, raising concerns over spoilage and supply disruptions.
In January 2026, the CCC purchased some 100,000 tons of unsold beans at a cost of $500 million, accelerated mid-crop sales, and secured another 200,000 tons for processing.
Although trade in the key commodity can now resume, challenges remain, as weak global demand and storage risks could affect cocoa quality.
Ivory Coast and Ghana together produce approximately 60 percent of the world’s cocoa supply, but in recent months, the supply chain has faced a growing crisis, with unsold cocoa stocks from the main crop piling up both inland and at the ports.
MA
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Source:
www.ghanaweb.com