Ivorian cocoa exporters have been hit by an acute shortage of cocoa beans, falling short of their export commitment by 150,000 tonnes, APA has learnt.
Cocoa exports represent 15 percent of Ivory Coast’s GDP.
A meeting was held last Friday between the country’s cocoa regulator GNI and cooperatives for exports to find a solution to the crisis.
Meanwhile the Cocoa and Coffee Council has suggested extending the period of loading to June to allow exporters to time during the mid harvest to buy beans and meet the export deficit.
The crisis has been blamed on erratic rainfall due to climate change which undermines the capacity of low-income cocoa farmers to cope with the export demand for the produce.
Some 600,000 people are employed in the Ivorian cocoa farming industry.