In Cote d’Ivoire, cocoa exporters forecast a decrease of about 200,000 tons of cocoa in the exported volume in the first three months of the 2016-2017 season. The fall will mainly result from low rain and insufficient stocks from previous season.

According to Reuters, arrivals to ports slumped by 15% this season, and few people expect an improvement given that the new season starts next October. The forecast is much important considering that 40% of the nation’s yearly output is produced between October and December. According to the head of an Abidjan-based export firm who asked not to be named, Cote d’Ivoire which produced 859,821 metric tons of cocoa last year, should produce this year between 660-710 thousands metric tons.

“I agree that it is troubling considering that so far, we thought that even if harvest was not good, at least it would rival that of the 2015-2016 season,” another exporter said.

In fields, farmers also share the same fear. Felix Konan, who farms around San Pedro, said: “Harvest will not be good. Usually in September, we are cutting the first matured pods but this year there is nothing to cut”. “We hoped for a good harvest but this is the reality, harvest will be bad,” added Didier Zakpa, a farmer from Soubré.

Ali Lakiss, Director General of SAF CACAO, said that “the beginning of the season will be difficult because there will not be enough cocoa for everybody”. “We are ready to fight for each bean produced,” he emphasized.

Aaron Akinocho