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Rainy roads slow arrivals of cocoa at Ivory Coast ports

Exporters and buyers say that the damage caused by heavy rains in Ivory Coast’s west, southwest, and coastal regions hampers harvesting, drying, and transporting cocoa beans from ports.

Six exporters, six buyers and five cooperatives said that cocoa arrivals in ports have decreased and the quality has deteriorated.

Hamed Coulibaly who purchases cocoa from the regions of Duekoue Guiglo and Man said, "Since last week, we've noticed a return of heavy rains which have blocked roads and rendered village tracks completely impassable."

He claimed that he had not been able yet to recover the 60 metric tonnes of the commodity his middlemen had already collected in different villages.

Seydou Koate, a buyer from Guiglo, said: "I have two cocoa trucks that have been stuck in the tracks toward Blolequin since six days... We can't do anything."

Exporter figures estimate that cocoa bean arrivals at ports will be 13,000 tons between October 1 and 6, 2024. This compares to 50,000 tons the previous year.

Rain has caused plantations to flood and roads to be cut off in the western Ivory Coast towns of Man and Danane. Geyo Yabayo Buyo in Ivory Coast's main cocoa-producing region have also suffered similar conditions.

Lack of sunlight and poor storage conditions have also caused damage to cocoa beans. They turn black and ferment when stored in bad conditions.

The quality of the beans arriving is what concerns us most, said an exporter in San Pedro port. He has received 55 tons so far compared with 300 tons at the same time last year.

Exporter in Abidjan, who received 45% less cocoa this season than last year, said: "We're receiving very poor-quality products. They are poorly fermented and dried. And they are too humid."

The Ivory Coast Coffee and Cocoa Council, however, blamed a delayed seed stock for the reduction in cocoa that has been available this season.

Unnamed CCC officials said: "We need to put things in perspective. There is less chocolate in the ports right now because there is less cacao at the moment. It is not due to the condition of the roads."

Another CCC official stated that "normally, September's stock is what supplies the first week of October. This year, this has not been the case."

"There is no cocoa yet, but we have to be patient." (Reporting and editing by Portia Crowe and Christina Fincher; Ange Aboa, Reporter)

(source: Reuters)