Ivorian farmers demand clearing of cocoa stocks

Farmers in Côte d’Ivoire have called on the government to urgently clear large volumes of cocoa stocks still sitting in storage ahead of the 2026/2027 farming season.

Agricultural leaders in Côte d’Ivoire have called on the government to urgently clear large volumes of cocoa stocks still sitting in storage ahead of the 2026/2027 farming season. The appeal was made during a meeting in Zouan-Hounien led by Vamara Bakayoko, president of the National Union of Farmers for the Renaissance of Agricultural Sectors (SYNARFA-CI), as part of the union’s nationwide expansion.

Bakayoko urged President Alassane Ouattara to ensure the remaining inventoried cocoa is removed to prevent new harvests from adding to existing stockpiles. The President of the Rural Coordination of Côte d’Ivoire (CRI-CI) also questioned why significant cocoa inventories remain despite government funding allocated for their evacuation. He called for audits into the management of the stocks and measures to improve farmers’ livelihoods. Union leaders further stressed the importance of introducing producer identification cards to strengthen farmer registration, improve sector organisation and better protect producers’ interests.

The Nigerian stake is clear. Nigeria is also a cocoa producer, and the Ivorian stockpile issue has implications for global cocoa prices. If Ivorian stocks are not cleared, they could weigh on global prices, affecting Nigerian farmers.

From a Nigerian vantage point, the Ivorian situation is a warning. Nigeria must ensure that its own cocoa sector is well-managed and that farmers are protected from price volatility. The calls for audits and producer identification cards are also relevant to Nigeria.

This echoes the 2018 cocoa stockpile crisis in Côte d’Ivoire, which also saw farmers demand action. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a focus on the management of cocoa stocks.

The winners: Ivorian farmers, if the government clears the stocks; and the Ivorian economy, which benefits from a well-functioning cocoa sector. The losers: the Ivorian government, which faces pressure to act; and the Nigerian government, which must ensure that its own cocoa sector is well-managed.

Bottom Line: Ivorian farmers are demanding the government clear cocoa stocks. The question is whether the government will act or let the stocks rot.