Cocoa producers seek structural reforms to address low value returns

Stakeholders in the West African cocoa sector are calling for structural reforms to address low producer returns and the economic vulnerability of traditional farming models. In Côte d'Ivoire, the farm-gate price for cocoa has been maintained at 1,200 FCFA per kilogram for the 2026-2027 campaign. Ahoua Don Mello, a former director of the BNETD and presidential candidate, criticized this decision, arguing that the current model is obsolete and fails to provide adequate compensation to farmers.

Don Mello highlighted a significant disparity in value distribution: while Côte d'Ivoire produces 40% of the world's cocoa and the sector accounts for 17% of its GDP, the country captures only 6% of the global value added. He advocated for a shift toward local processing and transformation of cocoa beans into finished products to mitigate the impact of global price fluctuations.

In Cameroon, Samuel Donatien Nengue, Administrator of the Cocoa and Coffee Development Fund (FODECC), emphasized the need for coordinated international negotiations to increase the share of profits returning to producing nations. He suggested that the current 6% share of global value could be negotiated upward to 7% or 8% by leveraging sustainability and environmental conservation efforts as bargaining chips in international trade discussions.