Côte d'Ivoire shifts cocoa policy amid price tensions

Côte d'Ivoire is reportedly moving to exit the joint cocoa price harmonization agreement it previously shared with Ghana. This decision marks a significant shift in the cooperation between the two nations, which together account for nearly 60% of global cocoa production. Since 2019, the two countries had worked to implement a living income differential (LID) to increase bargaining power against international chocolate manufacturers and stabilize farmer incomes.

Simultaneously, tensions are rising within the Ivorian cocoa sector. A committee representing over sixty trade organizations and union leaders has issued a public appeal to producers to avoid strikes. This call for dialogue comes amid disputes regarding the farm-gate price, currently set at 1,200 FCFA per kilo. The committee, led by Tia Marcel, president of Conasa-CI, urged members to pursue consultation rather than confrontation, arguing that industrial action would only worsen the difficulties facing producers.