Recent heavy rains in Ivory Coast have severely impacted the cocoa harvest, causing significant delays in the transportation of cocoa beans to ports. As one of the world’s largest cocoa producers, the country’s challenges with weather have serious implications not only for local farmers but also for global cocoa markets.
Since late September, persistent rain has damaged roads across the western, southwestern, and coastal regions of Ivory Coast, making it difficult for farmers to transport their crops. Exporters and buyers have reported that cocoa arrivals at ports have plummeted. Hamed Coulibaly, a cocoa buyer from the Duekoue region, noted that heavy rains have blocked roads and rendered many village tracks impassable. Coulibaly stated, “Since the last week of September, we have noticed a resumption of rains that are quite heavy.”
The consequences are dire. Seydou Konate, another cocoa buyer, has been unable to recover 60 metric tons of cocoa beans that his middlemen collected from various villages. He explained, “I have two trucks with cocoa that have been stuck on the tracks towards Blolequin for six days … we can’t do anything.”
Cocoa arrivals at the ports have dropped dramatically, with only about 13,000 tons reported between October 1 and 6, 2024, compared to 50,000 tons during the same period last year. This sharp decline is attributed to both the bad weather and logistical challenges in transporting the beans.
Farmers in key cocoa-producing towns such as Man, Danane, and Guiglo have reported flooded plantations and cut-off roads, exacerbating the situation. Many cocoa beans are also suffering in quality due to poor drying conditions. Without enough sunlight, the beans can turn black and begin to ferment, making them unsuitable for sale. One exporter lamented, “We are receiving very poor quality products: poorly fermented, dried, and too humid.”
The Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC) has tried to shift some of the blame for the decrease in cocoa supplies to a delay in seed stocks. An anonymous CCC official stated, “There is less cocoa in the ports because there is less cocoa at the moment; it is not because of the state of the roads.” Another official added, “Usually, it is September’s stocks that supply the first weeks of October, but this year, that’s not the case. There’s no cocoa, but it’s coming – we must be patient.”
As Ivory Coast grapples with the dual challenges of weather and logistics, the livelihoods of many farmers hang in the balance. The situation raises concerns about the sustainability of cocoa production in the face of climate change and its broader implications for global chocolate supply chains.
Farmers, exporters, and consumers alike are left to wonder: How will these weather patterns continue to affect one of the most vital commodities in the world? With climate change becoming a more pressing issue, it’s crucial for the industry to adapt and find solutions to safeguard the future of cocoa production in Ivory Coast.
