Cocoa Producers in Côte d’Ivoire Announce National Mobilisation for January 21, 2026
Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Cocoa producers across Côte d’Ivoire have announced a nationwide mobilisation set to begin on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, escalating tensions within the country’s vital coffee and cocoa sector.
The announcement was made by the Syndicat National des Producteurs Agricoles de Côte d’Ivoire (SYNAP-CI), a leading union representing smallholder farmers. In a statement released this week, the union said that producers have reached the limit of their tolerance due to what they describe as persistent blockages in the marketing chain and failures to address long-standing grievances with the sector’s regulatory authorities.
Producers Cite Sector Crisis
Union leaders contend that cocoa and coffee producers are facing increasing economic hardship, driven by administrative bottlenecks that they say are restricting the movement and sale of their beans. According to SYNAP-CI, stockpiles of cocoa held by producers are not being properly recognised in official channels, and efforts to move or commercialise these stocks have been stalled by regulatory obstacles.
In its communique, SYNAP-CI expressed deep frustration with the Conseil Café-Cacao (CCC), the government-mandated body responsible for overseeing the sector, accusing it of poor governance and a lack of transparency. The union is demanding that the CCC and government authorities engage in meaningful dialogue to resolve the sector’s challenges and ensure fair treatment for producers.
Regulator Responds, Denies Blockages
Officials from the Conseil Café-Cacao (CCC) have publicly denied the allegations of intentional blockages or stock withholding. In press statements, the regulator maintained that cocoa commercialisation processes, including port reception, documentation, and export clearances, are ongoing and functioning. The CCC described reported delays as logistical and administrative, not deliberate actions by producers or authorities.
The regulator further emphasised that cocoa exports remain active and that the sector continues to meet international demand.
Context: Cocoa Sector Under Strain
Côte d’Ivoire is the world’s largest cocoa producer, and the performance of its cocoa sector has global implications for supply chains and commodity markets. Recent months have seen growing reports of logistical challenges in the domestic handling of cocoa beans, including long truck queues outside ports and processing facilities. While government bodies attribute these issues to documentation and infrastructure limitations, producer groups see them as symptomatic of systemic dysfunction adversely affecting farm-gate economics.
Analysts say that unresolved tensions between producer groups and regulatory authorities, if not addressed through constructive dialogue, could pose broader risks to supply stability and investor confidence.
What Producers Want
The mobilised producers are calling for:
- Immediate recognition and release of producer-held cocoa stocks
- Open dialogue with the CCC and government representatives
- Reforms to commercialisation processes to reduce bottlenecks
- Greater transparency in pricing and stock reporting
Union leaders have indicated that the mobilisation on January 21, 2026 could include demonstrations and other forms of coordinated action nationwide if their demands are not met.
Outlook and Potential Market Impact
While the scope and scale of the mobilisation remain to be seen, market watchers will be monitoring developments closely. Any prolonged disruption in the internal marketing chain could have knock-on effects on export logistics, pricing dynamics, and international cocoa futures markets.
Producers, regulators, and government stakeholders are being urged to engage in urgent negotiations to prevent escalation and restore confidence in the sector.
