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Ivory Coast
Cargill granted extra cocoa beans quota

Read this article in our running story

“West African cocoa cartel battles with the traders”

Ghana, Ivory Coast

West African cocoa cartel battles with the traders

By jointly introducing a premium of $400 per tonne on cocoa beans in autumn 2020, Ivory Coast and Ghana were seeking to ensure that cocoa producers' revenues were maintained. In so doing, however, they sparked off an open war with the big commodity traders, who have since taken steps to get round the measure and avoid paying the premium. This battle of wills has paralysed a sector which has already been badly affected by Covid-19 and speeded up the transformation of the trading sector, encouraging Ghana and Ivory Coast to trade their cocoa beans on their own account. [...]

A farm worker with cacoa beans at a farm in Ivory Coast. © Legnan Koula/EPA/MaxPPP

Despite the Cocoa and Coffee Council's decision in February to limit sales to large traders, the head of the US trading giant's regional office was able to bargain for an additional quota of around 10,000 tonnes of cocoa beans, of which Cargill is the Ivory Coast's largest exporter. [...]

Published on 13/03/2023 at 05:40 GMT Reading time 2 minutes

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Commodity traders

Read this article in our running story

“West African cocoa cartel battles with the traders”

Ghana, Ivory Coast

West African cocoa cartel battles with the traders

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Barry-Callebaut
Cargill
Cocoa and Coffee Council
Gepex
GNI
Lionel Soulard
Olam
Yves Brahima Kone

Ivory Coast
Cargill and Barry Callebaut cocoa plants may grind to halt

Most of the major traders had anticipated a production drop of between 20% and 25%. However, almost 50% of the volumes sold by the Conseil Café-Cacao will not materialise before the end of the 2023-2024 harvest.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 02.02.2024

Ivory Coast
Local cocoa exporters are short of beans

Ivorian cocoa exporters like Africa Sourcing, Kineden and Ecookim have been unable to match the terms offered by the big international groups, who have tripled planters' bonuses. They have managed to execute only 40% of the contracts they signed for the 2023-2024 season.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 12.12.2023

Ivory Coast
Cocoa regulator's credibility on line over 2023-2024 season

The cocoa selling season in Ivory Coast is turning into a fiasco for the Conseil Café Cacao, which traders have accused of promising non-existent quantities of beans.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 16.11.2023

Preparing bags of cocoa beans on an Ivorian farm, October 2023.

Ivory Coast
Ouattara eager to settle tax dispute with Cargill

The Ivorian president is keen for the US trader, which has been accused of failing to pay its taxes, to put its affairs in order. The US ambassador in Abidjan is keeping a close eye on developments.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 21.07.2023

Ivory Coast
Abidjan stings Cargill with hefty tax fine

Faced with a tax adjustment of over CFA Francs 100bn, the US group, the largest exporter of Ivorian cocoa beans, is trying to negotiate with the Ivorian authorities through the US Chamber of Commerce in Ivory Coast.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 21.06.2023

Ivory Coast
Government steps in to protect cocoa trader Malick Tohé from Olam

The head of the Ivorian cocoa trading lobby and boss of SONEMAT, whose bank accounts were frozen by the Singaporean trader, appears to have friends in high places.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 19.05.2023

Ivory Coast
Foreign cocoa exporter success fuels local discontent

The major foreign traders were the winners in Ivory Coast's main cocoa bean harvest that has just ended. This has heightened tension between the big players such as Cargill and local exporters, who blame foreign competitors for their supply difficulties.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 20.04.2023

A bag of cocoa beans stamped "Conseil du café-cacao" in Ivory Coast.

Ivory Coast
Worried Ivorian cocoa traders turn to Ouattara for help

Local cocoa exporters are experiencing significant supply issues and may not manage to honour the contracts that expire when the main 2022-2023 harvest ends this month. Citing lack of action from the cocoa regulatory board, they are asking the president to step in.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 23.02.2023

In Focus | Ivory Coast
Loïc Folloroux, son of Ivorian first lady and behind-the-scenes cocoa trader

Loïc Folloroux, the son of Ivory Coast first lady Dominique Ouattara and owner of Africa Sourcing, has been an effective advocate and a major beneficiary of regulations favouring local players in the country's vital cocoa trade.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 30.01.2023

The discreet businessman Loïc Folloroux, son of First Lady Dominique Ouattara, has established himself in recent decades as the leading local bean trader.

Inner circles | Ghana, Ivory Coast
New cocoa initiative still far cry from Ouattara and Akufo-Addo's chocolate heaven

The Ivory Coast-Ghana Cocoa Initiative (ICCIG), based in Accra since September 2021 and headed by the experienced Ivorian Alex Assanvo, is struggling to bring multinationals on board. It is also trying to persuade the two regulatory bodies to radically shift their priorities.

Subscribers only Commodity traders 29.07.2022

Alex Pierre-Arnaud Assanvo, secretary-general of the Ivory Coast Ghana Cocoa Initiative.

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Barry-Callebaut
Cargill
Cocoa and Coffee Council
Gepex
GNI
Lionel Soulard
Olam
Yves Brahima Kone

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Ivory Coast
Cargill granted extra cocoa beans quota

West African cocoa cartel battles with the traders

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West African cocoa cartel battles with the traders

Set up email notifications for these topics

Ivory Coast
Cargill and Barry Callebaut cocoa plants may grind to halt

Ivory Coast
Local cocoa exporters are short of beans

Ivory Coast
Cocoa regulator's credibility on line over 2023-2024 season

Ivory Coast
Ouattara eager to settle tax dispute with Cargill

Ivory Coast
Abidjan stings Cargill with hefty tax fine

Ivory Coast
Government steps in to protect cocoa trader Malick Tohé from Olam

Ivory Coast
Foreign cocoa exporter success fuels local discontent

Ivory Coast
Worried Ivorian cocoa traders turn to Ouattara for help

In Focus | Ivory Coast
Loïc Folloroux, son of Ivorian first lady and behind-the-scenes cocoa trader

Inner circles | Ghana, Ivory Coast
New cocoa initiative still far cry from Ouattara and Akufo-Addo's chocolate heaven

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Ivory Coast Cargill granted extra cocoa beans quota

West African cocoa cartel battles with the traders

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West African cocoa cartel battles with the traders

Set up email notifications for these topics

Ivory Coast Cargill and Barry Callebaut cocoa plants may grind to halt

Ivory Coast Local cocoa exporters are short of beans

Ivory Coast Cocoa regulator's credibility on line over 2023-2024 season

Ivory Coast Ouattara eager to settle tax dispute with Cargill

Ivory Coast Abidjan stings Cargill with hefty tax fine

Ivory Coast Government steps in to protect cocoa trader Malick Tohé from Olam

Ivory Coast Foreign cocoa exporter success fuels local discontent

Ivory Coast Worried Ivorian cocoa traders turn to Ouattara for help

In Focus | Ivory Coast Loïc Folloroux, son of Ivorian first lady and behind-the-scenes cocoa trader

Inner circles | Ghana, Ivory Coast New cocoa initiative still far cry from Ouattara and Akufo-Addo's chocolate heaven

Set up email notifications for these topics

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

Senegal
Guns and oil drive Russia's Dakar courtship

Botswana, South Africa
From Gaborone to Antwerp, is De Beers's empire on the rocks?

Ivory Coast
Cargill granted extra cocoa beans quota

Ivory Coast
Cargill and Barry Callebaut cocoa plants may grind to halt

Ivory Coast
Local cocoa exporters are short of beans

Ivory Coast
Cocoa regulator's credibility on line over 2023-2024 season

Ivory Coast
Ouattara eager to settle tax dispute with Cargill

Ivory Coast
Abidjan stings Cargill with hefty tax fine

Ivory Coast
Government steps in to protect cocoa trader Malick Tohé from Olam

Ivory Coast
Foreign cocoa exporter success fuels local discontent

Ivory Coast
Worried Ivorian cocoa traders turn to Ouattara for help

In Focus | Ivory Coast
Loïc Folloroux, son of Ivorian first lady and behind-the-scenes cocoa trader

Inner circles | Ghana, Ivory Coast
New cocoa initiative still far cry from Ouattara and Akufo-Addo's chocolate heaven