Ivory Coast hands international cocoa contracts to local exporters

 

Ivory Coast has appointed around 20 local exporters to handle the top cocoa grower's contracts with international buyers, according to a marketing board official and exporters, as part of reforms to boost the position of domestic companies.

Reuters reports that the contracts, which involve the delivery of cocoa to buyers outside Ivory Coast, represent around 200,000 tonnes of the country's annual exports of roughly 1.5 million tonnes.

For the period running from October to December, the Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC) attributed contracts totalling 40,000 tonnes to local exporters, with volumes varying from 500 to 15,000 tonnes, a CCC official said.

According to exporters, the companies receiving the largest contracts include SONAMAT, with 1,500 tonnes for Cargill , AGRICOM, with 1,500 tonnes for ADM, and Novel SA Cote d'Ivoire, with 1,500 tonnes for Sucden.

Africa Sourcing, formerly known as Armajaro Negoce, will handle contracts for 15,000 tonnes of cocoa and CNEK 1,500 tonnes, but the buyers were not identified.

A second list of exporters will be released in December for the first three months of 2015.