Ivory Coast Cocoa Regulator Considers Bean Purchases as Exporter Defaults Risk Rising
Source: Bloomberg — reporting by Baudelaire Mieu (December 15, 2025)
Ivory Coast’s cocoa regulator is weighing direct purchases of cocoa beans from farmers as financial pressure mounts on local exporters following a sharp decline in global prices.
According to people familiar with the matter, the government has authorized the Conseil Café-Cacao (CCC) to buy up to 200,000 metric tons of cocoa originally contracted by exporters now facing potential default. The discussions took place during a meeting held on December 11 between the regulator and representatives of roughly a dozen exporting firms considered at risk.
As the world’s largest cocoa producer, Ivory Coast operates a forward-selling system under which exporters pre-purchase beans at fixed prices agreed with the regulator. However, the steep fall in international cocoa prices has severely eroded exporter margins, leaving some unable to honor contracts agreed at significantly higher price levels.
Cocoa futures have fallen by more than 50% from their peak in December last year, driven by expectations of a global surplus this season. The pressure has been compounded by strong cocoa arrivals from Ivory Coast, further weighing on prices and tightening exporter cash flow.
Under the proposed arrangement, the CCC would carry out the purchases through its logistics subsidiary Transcao, according to the sources, who requested anonymity due to the private nature of the discussions.
A spokesperson for the CCC did not respond to requests for comment, while the Ministry of Agriculture also declined to comment on the situation.
Bloomberg previously reported that cocoa has been accumulating at Ivory Coast ports as buyers struggle with liquidity constraints amid the price slump.
