Ivory Coast to Start Mid-Crop Cocoa Season Early and Slash Farmer Prices to Clear Excess Stock – Reuters Reports

In an unprecedented move, Ivory Coast — the world’s largest cocoa producer — plans to bring forward the start of its mid-crop season and significantly reduce the price paid to farmers in an effort to revive sluggish sales and address a growing crisis of unsold cocoa stocks, according to multiple government and regulator sources speaking to Reuters.

The measures aim to tackle a sharp decline in global cocoa prices that has made Ivorian beans uncompetitive on the international market, leading to large volumes of cocoa piling up both inland and at the country’s ports in recent months.

Key Details of the Planned Changes

• Early start of mid-crop season  Cocoa harvested next month will be classified as mid-crop rather than main crop for the first time ever.
• Sharp price reduction   Farmers will be paid between 800 and 1,000 CFA francs ($1.45–$1.81) per kilogram for the early mid-crop beans — a steep drop from the current main-crop price of 2,800 CFA francs per kg.
• Exchange rate reference — $1 = 552.2500 CFA francs (as of latest Reuters data).

The sources indicated that the decision follows intense internal deliberations within the government and the Coffee and Cocoa Council (the sector regulator) as Ivory Coast grapples with excess inventory and weakening demand amid historically high global prices earlier in the season that priced Ivorian cocoa out of the market.

The move comes at a time of significant strain in the global cocoa market. While prices reached multi-decade highs in late 2024 and early 2025 due to supply constraints in West Africa (driven by weather, disease, and structural challenges), the subsequent correction has left major producers — particularly Ivory Coast and Ghana   struggling to clear stocks at competitive prices.

In Ghana, the recent reduction of the producer price from GH¢48,000 to GH¢41,392 per tonne (and further to GH¢2,587 per bag) has already triggered widespread farmer discontent, warnings of potential disengagement from cocoa farming, and fears of increased galamsey activity on cocoa lands.

Ivory Coast’s decision to accelerate the mid-crop classification and cut prices aggressively is being closely watched by cocoa stakeholders across West Africa, as it could influence regional pricing dynamics, smuggling flows, and farmer behaviour in the coming months.

The Coffee and Cocoa Council has not yet issued an official public statement confirming the exact start date or final price range. Further announcements are expected in the coming days as the regulator finalises its strategy to move excess stock and restore market competitiveness.