Brussels chosen as the venue for the World Cocoa Conference 2024

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 08 April 2022. – The World Cocoa Conference (WCC) is a ground-breaking networking event created by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) and launched in 2012 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Organized every two years to assess the status of the world cocoa economy, review current challenges and agree on measures to address these issues, it has now been established as the leading forum for the global cocoa sector, with over 1,500 delegates of governments, trade and industry, producers and civil society attending the last edition in Berlin, Germany in 2018.

It is the only event in the cocoa sector to bring together a diverse range of decision-makers and other stakeholders in the cocoa and chocolate value chain, from all over the world in one place, representing a unique opportunity to encourage discussion of challenges and opportunities, to gather intelligence, to make new contacts and to do business.

After four successful editions held in Africa, Europe and Latin America, and following the cancellation of the fifth edition of the Conference to be held in Bali (Indonesia) due to issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Cocoa Organization is pleased to announce that the next edition of the World Cocoa Conference 2024 will be hosted by the Government of Belgium in Brussels, from 21 to 24 April 2024.

More details about the World Cocoa Conference 2024, including information about the venue, programme, sponsorship, exhibition opportunities and registration, are available here: www.worldcocoaconference.org

For more information, please contact Carlos Follana, Marketing and Communication Coordinator, International Cocoa Organization, ICCO Building, II Plateaux ENA – Avenue Boga Doudou, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Tel: +225 27 22 51 49 50/51 | Fax: +225 27 22 51 49 79 | E-mail: Carlos.Follana@icco.org 

Cocoa Market Report for February 2022

Abidjan, 18 March 2022 – The International Cocoa Organization releases the Cocoa Market Report for February 2022. The current report highlights the following insights:

  • The importation of cocoa beans and cocoa semi-finished products to Ukraine (40,000 tonnes in cocoa beans equivalent in 2020/21) and to the Russian Federation (165,000 tonnes in cocoa beans equivalent) are expected to decline in the rest of 2021/22 season in the midst the ongoing military drama.
  • Trade disruption in Russia could affect global fertilizer availability and consequently global agriculture including cocoa production. Fertilizer trade will be affected as sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation and Belarus such as banking restrictions would hamper the payment of fertilizer sales. Thus, should this situation persist, cocoa smallholders who are already struggling with high prices of fertilizers will be unable to afford them.
  • Notwithstanding the upward trend observed in prices during the first ten days of February 2022, the global cocoa market was bearish during February in reaction to concerns that the war in Ukraine and the subsequent economic sanctions announced by the West could cause a strong increase in prices of Russian-led commodities, including crude oil and gas, which in turn could negatively affect the global economy.

You can download the complete report by clicking here.

 

ICCO Secures Funding from the WTO and EU to Address Cadmium Contamination in Cocoa Beans

Abidjan, 18 March 2022. The International Cocoa Organization is pleased to announce the commencement of the implementation of the project on “Improving capacity building and knowledge sharing to support management of cadmium levels in cocoa in Latin America and the Caribbean”. This has been made possible through financial contribution from the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the European Union (EU).

Cadmium, a naturally occurring chemical element, can have adverse health effects when consumed in contaminated foodstuffs. The European Commission Regulation No. 488/2014, which came into force in January 2019, sets ‘Maximum Residue Levels’ (MRLs) for cadmium in foodstuffs, including specific cocoa and chocolate products.

The project will be implemented in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago for a total cost of US$551,000, with a grant of out of US$382,000 from the WTO’s Standard and Trade Development Facility (STDF) and €60,000 in co-financing from the European Union. Participating countries will provide the remainder of the financing requirements as their counterpart contribution.

“This milestone project brings together national and international institutions, academic bodies, cocoa producers and other key stakeholders to provide substantive contributions in knowledge and expertise, innovative methodologies and effective communication platforms to share and reinforce best practices to mitigate cadmium contamination in cocoa beans for the ultimate benefit of all stakeholders”, said Michel Arrion, Executive Director of the International Cocoa Organization

Project implementation will commence in March 2022 and will last for two years. Expected results include:

  1. The creation of a platform or network to share information and establish continuous dialogue among research institutes to build consensus on standardized testing protocols and best practices for cadmium mitigation and remediation.
  2. Capacity building and enhanced expertise of cocoa producers/stakeholders in the application of standardized protocols.
  3. Improved knowledge and better understanding of possible sources of cadmium presence in cocoa growing areas through analysis and mapping of hotspots and recommended best practices for mitigation and remediation; and
  4. Development of a training curriculum and training of master trainers who will lead the transfer of knowledge on cadmium mitigation and remediation to cocoa farmers and traders in the region.

This project is one among other efforts from the ICCO to ensure that cocoa beans produced and exported meet food safety standards worldwide.

The ICCO Secretariat is grateful to the Standard and Development Facility (STDF) and the European Union for the financial support to the project that will ensure continued access to the European market for cocoa produced in Latin America and the Caribbean.

VACANCY NOTICE – ECONOMIST

Abidjan, 11 March 2022. Vacancy notice – Economist

Title: Economist

Category/ Grade: Internationally recruited staff, P1/P2 on the UN salary scale

Duty station: Abidjan

Type of contract: Fixed Term (5 years with 6-month probationary period)

Deadline for application: 12/04/2022 (Midnight Abidjan Time)

Indicative starting date: 01/09/2022 (date when the selected candidate is expected to be available to take up her/his position in Abidjan)

Recruitment open to: nationals of ICCO Member countries (please see full list on https://www.icco.org/who-we-are/membership/)

Applications (only CV & Covering letter) to be sent to: recruitment@icco.org copy to ExecDir.Office@icco.org

 

VACANCY NOTICE FULL DESCRIPTION – ENGLISH

ANUNCIO DE VACANTE DESCRIPCIÓN COMPLETA – ESPAÑOL

February 2022 Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics

Abidjan, 28 February 2022 – The International Cocoa Organization today releases its first forecasts for the 2021/22 cocoa year and revised estimates of world production, grindings, and stocks of cocoa beans for 2020/21 cocoa year. The data published in Issue No. 1 – Volume XLVIII – Cocoa year 2021/22 of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, reflect the most recent information available to the Secretariat as at the beginning of February 2022.

Compared to the 2020/21 season, cocoa supply is anticipated to drop by 5% to 4.955 million tonnes. The current season witnessed a slow start and despite the mild Harmattan, severe dryness is being experienced in the main producing countries of West Africa. Although it is anticipated that the weather will turn around for the better to support the mid-crop, global production for the season under review will still be lower compared to the historic level recorded for the preceding crop year.

Global cocoa demand is projected to increase and register a jump of almost 3% from 4.959 million tonnes during 2020/21 to 5.086 million tonnes for the season under review. Thanks to progress in vaccinations, economies have opened, and this boosted demand for most commodities including cocoa. Nevertheless, uncertainties remain over the long term. COVID-19 remains a concern as for the past years, outbreaks of COVID-19 variants led to restrictions on people’s movements and consequently demand. Indeed, supply chain bottlenecks, inflationary pressures, freight charges amongst others are key unknown factors that could derail the rebound of commodities including cocoa.

Summary of forecasts and revised estimates

 

 Cocoa year 

(Oct-Sept)

 2020/21 2021/22 Year-on-year change
Previous estimates a/ Revised estimates Forecasts
(thousand tonnes) (Per cent)
World gross production 5 175 5 226 4 955 – 271 – 5.2%
World grindings 4 911 4 959 5 086 + 127 + 2.6%
Surplus/deficit   b/ + 212 + 215 – 181
End-of-season stocks 1 924 1 928 1 747 – 181 – 9.4%
Stocks/Grindings ratio 39.2% 38.9% 34.3%

Notes:
a/ Estimates published in Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, Vol. XLVII – No. 4 – Cocoa year 2020/21
b/ Surplus/deficit: net world crop (gross crop adjusted for loss in weight) minus grindings.
Totals may differ due to rounding.

Statistical information on trade in cocoa beans, cocoa products and chocolate, by country and by region, published in this edition, covers annual data from 2018/19 to 2020/21 and quarterly statistics for the period January-March 2020 to July-September 2021. Details on destinations of exports and origins of imports for leading cocoa exporting countries are also provided.

Copies of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, in Microsoft Excel and Adobe PDF formats, can be ordered from the new ICCO e-Shop: www.icco.org/shop or by email: statistics.section@icco.org

International Symposium on Cocoa Research ISCR 2022 in December 2022

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 16 February 2022. The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) in partnership with the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) is pleased to announce that the second edition of the International Symposium on Cocoa Research will be taking place on 05-07 December 2022 in Montpellier, France.

The International Symposium on Cocoa Research is on the cusp of becoming a well-established event in the sector. The first edition of the symposium previously attracted over 500 participants, from the scientific community as well as the entire cocoa value chain (producers / traders / processors / manufacturers / policymakers/etc.), making it a must-attend event for anyone concerned with the future of cocoa.

The Symposium is a unique opportunity for participants to interact with cocoa industry leaders and high-profile speakers, who will present their most recent studies and point the way forward for the cocoa sector. The main theme for this edition of the symposium is “Innovations to support market development and promote the sustainability of cocoa farming for better farmer income”. We anticipate this edition to be a success thanks to the broad range of selected topics to be discussed.

In order to streamline the submission of papers and presentations (different thematic areas, conditions and requirements to submit scientific papers) as well as registrations to attend the event, a website providing all necessary information related to the event can be consulted: www.iscrsymposium.org. Submission of papers is open until 15 March 2022.

Delegates wishing to attend the event, which will comply with the strictest health and safety measures in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, can take advantage of the reduced rates available until 30 April 2022. Additionally, there are several discounts applicable for students and organizations from ICCO Member and non-ICCO Member countries.

Press accreditations to attend the event can be requested by emailing events@icco.org or congrescacao2021@cirad.fr

Cocoa Market Report for January 2022

Abidjan, 11 February 2022 – The International Cocoa Organization today releases the Cocoa Market Report for January 2022. The current report highlights the following insights:

  • Grindings data published by the main regional cocoa associations for the first quarter of the 2021/22 cocoa year signalled that cocoa demand for the season started on a strong note.
  • Cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire since the start of the 2021/22 cocoa year is reported to have overtaken last season’s level at 1.340 million tonnes as at 30 January, slightly up by 1.5% compared with the 1.320 million tonnes recorded at the same period of the 2020/21 season. On the contrary in Ghana, the latest available data on purchases of graded and sealed cocoa beans were lower year-on-year.
  • During January 2022, prices of the front-month cocoa futures contract oscillated between US$2,238 and US$2,428 per tonne in London and averaged US$2,324 per tonne, slightly lower compared to the average price of US$2,343 per tonne for the nearby contract recorded at the same period of the 2020/21 cocoa year. In New York, the average price of the MAR-22 contract settled at US$2,547 per tonne, up from US$2,528 per tonne recorded in January 2021 and ranged between US$2,420 and US$2,663 per tonne.

You can download the complete report by clicking here.

 

World cocoa bean stocks for the 2020/21 season

Abidjan, 27 January 2022. The ICCO Expert Working Group on Stocks (EWGS) met today, Thursday 27 January 2022 to review the level of world cocoa bean stocks. The EWGS is composed of experts in the cocoa field who meet once a year, at the invitation of the ICCO, to review and analyse the results of the ICCO’s annual survey of cocoa bean stocks held in European warehouses as well as assess the level of global cocoa bean stocks. The survey is conducted every year (since 2000) and aims to improve transparency in the cocoa market.

 

LOCATION OF THE ESTIMATED AND IDENTIFIED COCOA BEAN STOCKS 30 SEPTEMBER 2019 30 SEPTEMBER 2020 30 SEPTEMBER 2021
Stocks in cocoa importing countries 1,011 987 1,106
Stocks in cocoa exporting countries 215 171 256 ***
Stocks in South-East Asia 199
Total identified stocks 1,226 ** 1,158 ** 1,561
Manufacturers’ stocks 77 75 95
Cocoa beans in transit 83 81 107
Total estimated world cocoa bean stocks 1,385 ** 1,315 ** 1,764
Total identified world stocks as a percentage of total estimated world stocks 89% 88% 88%
Total identified stocks as a percentage of statistically-derived stocks 70% 68% 81%
ICCO statistically-derived stocks* 1,731 1,712 1,924

Notes: Totals may differ from sum of constituents due to rounding

* Published in the ICCO Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, Volume XLVII, No. 4, Cocoa Year 2020/21

** Do not include stocks data from South-East Asia

*** Do not include data from Brazil

The EWGS now notes that, compared to the revised gap of 397,000 tonnes for the 2019/20 cocoa year, the current assessment indicates that the gap between the estimated cocoa bean stocks worldwide and the ICCO’s statistically-derived stocks data has declined to 160,000 tonnes for the 2020/21 cocoa year. This reduction is partly due to the inclusion of stocks from South-East Asia in the current assessment. However, the non-availability of stocks from some important producing countries contributed to the current divergence.

While the ICCO Secretariat maintains, so far, its supply surplus estimate of 212,000 tonnes for 2020/21 as published in its latest QBCS, it may revise that figure in its next Bulletin due at the end of February 2022, taking into account the outcome of this survey.

For more information, please contact Carlos Follana, Marketing and Communication Coordinator, International Cocoa Organization, ICCO Building, II Plateaux ENA – Avenue Boga Doudou, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Tel: +225 22 51 49 50/51 | Fax: +225 22 51 49 79 | E-mail: Carlos.Follana@icco.org

Cocoa Market Report for December 2021

Abidjan, 24 January 2022 – The International Cocoa Organization today releases the Cocoa Market Report for December 2021. The current report highlights the following insights:

  • Arrivals and purchases of cocoa beans from the two-top producing countries were reported to be down by 4% in Côte d’Ivoire, and a staggering 54% in Ghana.
  • Compared to their settlement values recorded during the first trading day of December, prices of the MAR-22 contract moved upwards on both sides of the Atlantic, increasing by 6% from US$2,181 to US$2,304 per tonne and by 8% from US$2,342 to US$2,530 per tonne in London and New York respec¬tively.
  • The annual average of the US-denominated ICCO daily price stood at US$2,427 per tonne, up by 3% compared to level reached the previous year.

You can download the complete report by clicking here.

 

L’ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE DU CACAO SOUHAITE LA BIENVENUE À LA COLOMBIE, SON 52E MEMBRE

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 8 décembre 2021. L’Organisation internationale du cacao a l’honneur d’annoncer qu’à l’issue d’un processus entamé en 2019, la Colombie a rejoint l’ICCO en tant que pays Membre de plein droit.

Hier, le 7 décembre 2021, S.E. M. Iván Duque, président de la République de Colombie, a signé la loi qui entérine l’adhésion de la Colombie à l’ICCO, lors d’une cérémonie à laquelle ont participé les représentants du secteur cacaoyer colombien et une délégation de l’ICCO conduite par son Directeur exécutif, M. Michel Arrion.

L’adhésion de la Colombie portera le nombre de Membres de l’ICCO à 52 pays, dont 23 pays Membres exportateurs et 29 pays Membres importateurs. La Colombie sera le neuvième pays Membre de la région d’Amérique latine et des Caraïbes, rejoignant le Brésil, le Costa Rica, l’Équateur, le Nicaragua, le Pérou, la République dominicaine, Trinité-et-Tobago et le Venezuela.

Le Directeur exécutif de l’ICCO, M. Michel Arrion, a salué la nouvelle en ces termes : « Nous sommes heureux d’accueillir la Colombie en tant que 52e Membre de l’ICCO. L’adhésion de la Colombie est une preuve tangible de notre engagement commun à assurer la durabilité de l’économie cacaoyère mondiale grâce à une coopération plus étroite entre les pays exportateurs et importateurs ».

Au cours de son séjour en Colombie, la délégation de l’ICCO a également eu l’occasion d’établir des contacts avec les associations sectorielles colombiennes, telles que la Fedecacao, qui a joué un rôle clé dans la réussite de ce processus, ainsi qu’avec des représentants du secteur privé. Elle a visité par ailleurs l’une des principales régions cacaoyères du pays.

 

À propos de l’ICCO

L’Organisation internationale du cacao (ICCO) est une organisation intergouvernementale fondée en 1973 sous les auspices des Nations Unies et fonctionnant dans le cadre des successifs Accords internationaux sur le cacao. Le siège de l’ICCO se trouve à Abidjan, en Côte d’Ivoire.

L’Organisation compte 52 pays Membres, dont 23 pays exportateurs de cacao et 29 pays importateurs de cacao. Ces pays Membres représentent conjointement 92 % des exportations mondiales de cacao et 80 % des importations mondiales de cacao (https://www.icco.org/who-we-are/membership/)

L’ICCO a pour objectif de promouvoir et de soutenir la durabilité économique, sociale et environnementale de la chaîne de valeur du cacao et en particulier d’améliorer les conditions de vie des cacaoculteurs. L’Organisation constitue un centre de connaissance et d’innovation au sein de l’économie cacaoyère mondiale, une plateforme de coopération institutionnelle visant à encourager le dialogue entre ses pays Membres et entre les principales parties prenantes de la chaîne de valeur du cacao, ainsi qu’un pôle d’assistance technique pour ses pays Membres.

Pour plus d’informations, veuillez contacter :    info@icco.org