Tensions are rising in Ivory Coast as authorities prepare to send officials to cocoa-growing areas following protests by farmers over unpaid deliveries and rotting unsold stocks.
The country’s regulator, the Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC), is expected to deploy a team to the centre-eastern town of M’Batto to calm farmers who demonstrated last week after claiming they had not been paid for cocoa already sold to the state-backed system.
Farmers angry over unpaid cocoa sales
Farmers say payments for beans sold during the main cocoa harvest have been delayed, leaving many in financial distress. The situation has also raised fears that it could affect preparations for the next farming season.
According to farmers and cooperatives who spoke to Reuters, some cocoa stocks harvested between October and March remain unsold or unpaid despite earlier government assurances that the beans would be purchased.
Police intervention during protests
Last week, protests in M’Batto escalated when police used tear gas to disperse farmers who had blocked roads demanding payment for their cocoa.
In the western region, particularly around Daloa, cooperative leaders say they are still holding large quantities of unsold beans, worsening frustration among farmers.
Impact spreading across cocoa regions
The crisis is also affecting other major cocoa-producing areas, including Soubre and Duekoue, where some farmers say they have been forced to sell their main-crop cocoa at much lower prices to avoid losses as the beans deteriorate.
One farmer near Duekoue said he had no choice but to sell at reduced prices because the main-crop beans were going bad while waiting for payment.
Government response and ongoing concerns
A source close to the CCC told Reuters that officials from the council will travel to affected areas to engage farmers and ease tensions. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has also not yet commented on the issue.
While a European cocoa trader said the issue is currently localized and not affecting global supply or prices, there are concerns that prolonged delays could disrupt future harvests if farmers lose motivation or hold back production.
Farmer groups have warned that continued payment delays could damage trust in the cocoa marketing system and threaten livelihoods in one of the world’s largest cocoa-producing countries.
