• Brazil suspends cocoa imports from Côte d’Ivoire
• Move cites phytosanitary concerns over mixed-origin beans
• Ivorian cocoa exports to Brazil hit $177 million in 2024

Brazil has suspended purchases of cocoa beans and cocoa products from Côte d’Ivoire until further notice over phytosanitary concerns. The decision was published on Monday, Feb. 23, in the Official Gazette by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.

According to local authorities, large volumes of cocoa entering Côte d’Ivoire from neighboring countries could result in mixed-origin beans being included in shipments to Brazil. The ministry said the suspension will remain in place until Côte d’Ivoire issues a formal clarification and provides assurances that shipments from the country do not contain cocoa sourced from neighboring states that do not meet Brazil’s phytosanitary import requirements.

The Secretariat of Trade and International Relations and the Secretariat of Agricultural Defense have been tasked with taking the necessary steps to investigate potential cases of trade triangulation involving fermented and dried cocoa beans that could pose phytosanitary risks.

While this is not the first time Brazil has temporarily suspended imports of Ivorian cocoa, the measure could complicate the start of cooperation between the two countries in the sector.

In February 2025, Côte d’Ivoire’s Coffee and Cocoa Council received a delegation from Brazil’s trade and investment promotion agency, ApexBrasil. Discussions focused on potential cooperation in agronomic research, processing and sustainable production.

The suspension comes at a time when Ivorian cocoa and cocoa product exports to Brazil reached a record $177 million in 2024, making Brazil the 10th-largest export market for the world’s leading producer, according to TradeMap data.

More broadly, the move adds to pressure on Côte d’Ivoire’s cocoa sector, which is facing lower global prices and calls from traders to cut the guaranteed farmgate price, currently set at 2,800 CFA francs per kilogram.

Espoir Olodo