• EFKO begins a scouting mission to identify a site for a cocoa and shea processing plant in Guinea.
• Guinea earned $492.7 million from cocoa exports in 2024, with 99.9% shipped as raw beans.
• Guinea produces an annual average of 23,000 tons of cocoa (2019–2023), with exports heavily influenced by cross-border smuggling.

Cocoa ranks among Guinea’s top agricultural export products, alongside cashew nuts and fish. The country exports almost all of its cocoa in raw form, which limits added value.

The Russian agrifood group EFKO plans to invest in Guinea’s agricultural sector. The Ministry of Agriculture received a delegation from the company on Wednesday, November 19, as part of EFKO’s assessment mission.

In a statement published on its website, the ministry said the visit forms part of a broader prospecting effort aimed at identifying a suitable location for a cocoa and shea processing facility. The ministry added that the investment cost and technical details of the project remain undetermined for now.

This interest nevertheless represents an opportunity to strengthen domestic processing capacity and boost value creation across the two export-oriented supply chains. According to data compiled by Trade Map, the cocoa sector generated nearly $492.7 million in export revenues in 2024, with 99.9% of shipments consisting of raw beans.

A processing plant would provide a direct outlet for local producers and could encourage an increase in upstream production. Guinea remains a modest cocoa producer compared with West Africa’s heavyweights such as Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria.

FAO data show that Guinea harvested an average of 23,000 tons of cocoa beans annually between 2019 and 2023. A significant share of reported exports originates from cross-border smuggling, primarily from Côte d’Ivoire.

This article was initially published in French by Stéphanas Assocle

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum