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Ivory Coast officials have confirmed that the government will honour its commitment to purchase a 100,000-metric-tonne surplus of cocoa at the guaranteed main-crop price.
The announcement, made by the head of the Agricultural Interprofessional Organisation for Cocoa, aims to soothe rising anxieties among farmers and cooperatives.
There were widespread fears that the stock-buying initiative, designed to clear unsold beans following a global price dip, would be abandoned as the mid-crop harvest began earlier than anticipated.
So far, approximately 23,000 tonnes have been acquired under the programme.
To reassure producers, organisation president Siaka Diakite stated that all inventory recorded in mid-January will be purchased at the set rate of 2,800 CFA francs ($5.00) per kilogram.
This clarification is critical for farmers who were concerned that their remaining stock might be subjected to much lower mid-crop prices, which government sources suggested could drop as low as 800 to 1,000 CFA francs.
The government’s reassurance follows threats of a major strike, with cooperatives in key regions like San Pedro and Duekoue planning to block administrative buildings with cocoa-laden trucks.
While the purchase guarantee provides temporary relief, tensions remain regarding administrative hurdles.
Diakite previously highlighted “blockages” within the regulatory Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC) that have reportedly prevented cooperatives from validating the documents necessary to deliver their crops to major ports.
