(Ecofin Agency) - In Côte d’Ivoire, about 125,000 tons of cocoa have been smuggled into neighboring countries since the 2017-18 campaign started in October. This was revealed by Bloomberg which quoted two sources close to the Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC) who requested anonymity.

In detail, nearly 100,000 tons of the commodity were smuggled across the eastern border with Ghana while another 25,000 tons passed through the western border with Liberia and Guinea, the sources said.

According to estimates, the volume of cocoa smuggled represents 9.2% of the exports by February 25, 2018.

The sources indicated that, in response to this situation, the regulator and the government could enhance the security at borders ahead of the light crop (April to September 2018).

Espoir Olodo