February 2023 Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics

Abidjan, 28 February 2023 – The International Cocoa Organization today releases its first forecasts for the 2022/23 cocoa year and revised estimates of world production, grindings, and stocks of cocoa beans for the 2021/22 cocoa year. The data published in Issue No. 1 – Volume XLIX – cocoa year 2022/23 of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, reflect the most recent information available to the Secretariat as at the beginning of February 2023.

A growing number of uncertainties including the current global macroeconomic outlook, the effect of climate change and diseases are likely to have an impact on cocoa supply and demand. As such, the 2022/23 season is anticipated to result in a limited supply deficit while demand is envisaged to be subdued. The expectation of a supply deficit has also been compounded with weather variations, especially in West Africa.

Compared to the 2021/22 season, global cocoa supply is anticipated to rise by 4% to 5.017 million tonnes. Global cocoa demand is projected to decrease by less than 1% to 5.027 million tonnes.

 

Summary of forecasts and revised estimates

 

 Cocoa year 

(Oct-Sept)

 2021/22 2022/23 Year-on-year change
Previous estimates a/ Revised estimates Forecasts
(thousand tonnes) (Per cent)
World gross production 4 823 4 818 5 017 + 199 + 4.1%
World grindings 5 081 5 057 5 027 – 30 – 0.6%
Surplus/deficit   b/ – 306 – 287 – 60
End-of-season stocks 1 622 1 712 1 652 – 60 – 3.5%
Stocks/Grindings ratio 31.9% 33.9% 32.9%

Notes:
a/ Estimates published in Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, Vol. XLVIII – No. 4 – Cocoa year 2021/22
b/ Surplus/deficit: net world crop (gross crop adjusted for 1% 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 2019/20 to 2021/22 and quarterly statistics for the period January-March 2021 to July-September 2022. 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

Call for submission of country dossiers to the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) Ad Hoc Panel on Fine Flavour Cocoa

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 27 February 2023. The International Cocoa Organization is pleased to announce that the next meeting of the ICCO Ad Hoc Panel of experts on fine flavour cocoa is scheduled for 13-14 June 2023 in Antananarivo, Madagascar.

The purpose of the meeting is to update the countries listed in Annex C of the International Cocoa Agreement (ICA), 2010 and to revise their export shares of fine flavour cocoa beans, in accordance with Article 39 of the ICA, 2010.

The Panel will comprise twelve experts from the private and public sectors, representing the main cocoa producing and consuming regions.

In view of the above, all cocoa-producing countries, Members and non-Members of the ICCO, wishing to be assessed for production and export of fine flavour cocoa and to be listed in Annex C of the ICA, 2010 are hereby requested to:

  • Get acquainted with the internal rules of the Panel; and
  • Submit a technical dossier to the ICCO Secretariat by Friday 28 April 2023 COB

Both documents are available upon request by contacting Ms. Charlotte Martin, Sustainability Development Officer, email: Charlotte.Martin@icco.org

Per the provisions of the internal rules of the Ad Hoc Panel, each country submitting a dossier must be represented either in person or virtually at the meeting of the Panel on 13-14 June 2023 in Antananarivo, Madagascar, to present their technical dossier.

All countries having participated in the 2019 Edition of the Panel in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, can have access to their previous technical information dossier by sending a specific request to: Charlotte.Martin@icco.org

Please note that all non-ICCO Member countries willing to submit a technical dossier for the consideration of the Panel, will be required to pay a fee ranging from 1,000€ to 10,000€. For further details, please contact Ms. Charlotte Martin, Sustainability Development Officer, email: Charlotte.Martin@icco.org

 

Convocatoria de presentación de dossiers nacionales al Panel ad-hoc de la Organización Internacional del Cacao (ICCO) sobre cacao fino

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 27 February 2023. La Organización Internacional del Cacao tiene el honor de anunciar que la próxima reunión del Panel Ad Hoc de expertos de la ICCO sobre cacao fino se celebrará los días 13 y 14 de junio de 2023 en Antananarivo, Madagascar.

El objetivo de la reunión es el de actualizar la lista de países que figuran en el Anexo C del Convenio Internacional del Cacao (CIC), 2010, y de revisar sus cuotas de exportación de cacao fino en grano, de acuerdo con el Artículo 39 del CIC, 2010.

El Panel estará formado por doce expertos procedentes de los sectores público y privado, que representan las principales regiones productoras y consumidoras.

Por lo tanto, se ruega que todos aquellos países productores de cacao, tanto Miembros como no-Miembros de la ICCO, que deseen figurar en el Anexo C del CIC, 2010, tras la debida evaluación de su producción y exportación de cacao fino:

  • Se familiaricen con el reglamento interno del Panel; y
  • Presenten un dossier técnico a la Secretaría de la ICCO antes del viernes 28 de abril de 2023

Ambos documentos se pueden obtener bajo petición, contactando con Dña. Charlotte Martin, Oficial de Desarrollo Sostenible, email: Charlotte.Martin@icco.org

De acuerdo con las disposiciones del reglamento del Panel Ad Hoc, cada país que remita un dossier debe estar representado, de forma presencial o virtual, en la reunión del Panel que se celebrará los días 13 y 14 de junio de 2023 en Antananarivo, Madagascar, para presentar su dossier técnico.

Todos los países que participaron en la reunión del Panel de 2019, celebrada en Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, podrán acceder a su anterior dossier de información técnica bajo petición específica a: Charlotte.Martin@icco.org

Cabe señalar que todos los países no-Miembros de la ICCO que deseen presentar un dossier técnico para su consideración por el Panel deberán pagar unos honorarios de entre 1.000 euros y 10.000 euros. Para más información, pueden ponerse en contacto con Dña. Charlotte Martin, Oficial de Desarrollo Sostenible, email: Charlotte.Martin@icco.org

Appel à soumission de dossiers nationaux au Panel ad hoc sur le cacao fin de l’Organisation internationale du cacao (ICCO)

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 27 February 2023. L’Organisation internationale du cacao a l’honneur d’annoncer que la prochaine réunion du Panel ad hoc d’experts sur le cacao fin de l’ICCO se déroulera les 13 et 14 juin 2023 à Antananarivo, Madagascar.

L’objet de cette réunion est la mise à jour de la liste des pays inscrits à l’annexe C de l’Accord international de 2010 sur le cacao (AIC) et la révision de leurs parts d’exportation de fèves de cacao fin, conformément à l’article 39 de l’AIC 2010.

Le Panel sera formé de douze experts des secteurs public et privé, représentant les principales régions productrices et consommatrices de cacao.

En conséquence, tous les pays producteurs de cacao, Membres et non-membres de l’ICCO, souhaitant faire évaluer leur production et leurs exportations de cacao fin afin d’être inscrits à l’annexe C de l’AIC 2010 sont priés par la présente de :

  • Prendre connaissance du règlement interne du Panel ; et
  • Soumettre un dossier technique au Secrétariat de l’ICCO d’ici au vendredi 28 avril 2023 avant la fermeture des bureaux

Ces deux documents sont disponibles sur demande auprès de Mme Charlotte Martin, Fonctionnaire chargée du développement durable, e-mail : Charlotte.Martin@icco.org

Comme indiqué dans le règlement interne du Panel, chaque pays qui soumet un dossier au Panel devra être représenté en personne ou virtuellement à la réunion du Panel, les 13 et 14 juin 2023 au Radisson Blu Hotel, à Antananarivo, Madagascar, afin de présenter son dossier technique.

Tous les pays ayant participé à l’édition 2019 du Panel à Abidjan, en Côte d’Ivoire, peuvent accéder à leur dossier d’information technique précédent en adressant une demande spécifique à : Charlotte.Martin@icco.org

À noter que tous les pays non-membres de l’ICCO souhaitant soumettre un dossier technique à l’examen du Panel sont tenus de s’acquitter d’un droit allant de 1 000 € à 10 000 €. Pour plus de détails, veuillez contacter Mme Charlotte Martin, Fonctionnaire chargée du développement durable, e-mail : Charlotte.Martin@icco.org

Cocoa Market Report for January 2023

Abidjan, 23 February 2023 – The International Cocoa Organization releases the Cocoa Market Report for January 2023. The current report highlights the following insights:

  • Grindings data published by the main regional cocoa associations for the first quarter of the 2022/23 cocoa season indicated that cocoa processing activities decreased in the main cocoa-consuming regions namely Europe, South-East Asia, and North America.
  • Cocoa production in Côte d’Ivoire since the start of the 2022/23 cocoa year is reported to have now settled below last season’s level at 1.650 million tonnes as at 19 February 2023, merely down by 0.5% compared with 1.659 million tonnes recorded at the same period of the 2021/22 season.
  • Compared to their settlement values recorded at the beginning of January 2023, prices of the first position cocoa futures contract increased on both sides of the Atlantic, moving up by 2% from US$2,450 to US$2,495 per tonne and by 1% from US$2,568 to US$2,582 per tonne in London and New York respectively.

You can download the complete report by clicking here.

 

World cocoa bean stocks for the 2021/22 season

Abidjan, 26 January 2023. The ICCO Expert Working Group on Stocks (EWGS) met today, Thursday 26 January 2023 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 2020 30 SEPTEMBER 2021 30 SEPTEMBER 2022
Stocks in cocoa importing countries 983 1,101 1,199
Stocks in cocoa exporting countries 214 312 *** 201 ****
Stocks in South-East Asia 199 223
Total identified stocks 1,187 ** 1,606 1,620
Manufacturers’ stocks 71 92 91
Cocoa beans in transit 81 108 75
Total estimated world cocoa bean stocks 1,350 ** 1,811 1,788
Total identified world stocks as a percentage of total estimated world stocks 88% 89% 91%
Total identified stocks as a percentage of statistically-derived stocks 69% 83% 100%
ICCO statistically-derived stocks* 1,719 1,928 1,622

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

* Published in the ICCO Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, Volume XLVIII, No. 4, Cocoa Year 2021/22

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

*** Do not include data from Brazil

**** Do not include data from Brazil and Togo

The EWGS notes that the statistically-derived stock is now lower than the estimated world cocoa beans stock identified through the survey.

The EWGS will meet with the ICCO Secretariat to review and if necessary revise the ICCO statistically derived stocks. While the ICCO Secretariat maintains, so far, its supply deficit estimate of 306,000 tonnes for 2021/22 as published in its latest QBCS, it may revise that figure in due course taking into account the outcome of this discussion.

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 2022

Abidjan, 16 January 2023 – The International Cocoa Organization releases the Cocoa Market Report for December 2022. The current report highlights the following insights:

  • Halfway through the 2022/23 main crop, the crop output in the two top world cocoa producers i.e., Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, is higher than the levels recorded during the corresponding period of the previous season
  • Cocoa merchants and producers increased their net short positions on both sides of the Atlantic over October – December 2022
  • At the approach of the expiration date of the DEC-22 contract, the London market was in a strong backwardation while the New York one was in contango

You can download the complete report by clicking here.

 

Cocoa Market Report for November 2022

Abidjan, 13 December 2022 – The International Cocoa Organization releases the Cocoa Market Report for November 2022. The current report highlights the following insights:

  • The 2021/22 cocoa season ended with a supply deficit of 306,000 tonnes.
  • Growing conditions for the ongoing main crop of the 2022/23 season are generally good in
    West Africa, hence boding well for the region’s cocoa production.
  • However, the demand side of the market seems uncertain given that the slowdown in the global economy and inflationary impact on raw materials, combined with exorbitant energy prices in Europe, which is the leading region for cocoa processing, are likely to take a toll on the operations of cocoa processors.
  • Total stocks of cocoa beans in the Exchange-licensed warehouses are higher year-over-year on both sides of the Atlantic.
  • The nearby cocoa futures contract traded on a positive note during November in both London and New York. In London, cocoa futures prices increased substantially by 16% from US$2,211 to US$2,559 per tonne whereas in New York they moved up by 3% from US$2,352 to US$2,433 per tonne.

You can download the complete report by clicking here.

 

November 2022 Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics

Abidjan, 30 November 2022 – The International Cocoa Organization today releases its revised estimates for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 cocoa years of world production, grindings, and stocks of cocoa beans, summarized below. The data published in Issue No. 4 – 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 November 2022.

For this issue, several revisions have been made to the 2021/22 cocoa balance sheet. On the supply side, the production estimate has been adjusted downwards by 67,000 tonnes to 4.823 million tonnes, almost 1% lower than the estimate of 4.890 million tonnes presented in the previous Bulletin. A lower yield resulting from less conducive weather conditions and diseases in most of the major producing countries underlined the downward revisions.

On the demand side, compared to 5.071 million tonnes in the previous Bulletin, grindings have been adjusted higher by almost 10,000 tonnes to 5.081 million tonnes based on an increased use of beans as reflected in the trade of cocoa products. Notwithstanding the challenges of the global macroeconomy, global cocoa demand held up in 2021/22– from an estimate of 4.981 million tonnes in 2020/21 to 5.081 million tonnes in 2021/22, which reflects a 2% year-on-year increase.

Summary of forecasts and revised estimates

 

Cocoa year
(Oct-Sep)		 2020/2021 2021/2022 Year-on-year change
Revised
estimates		 Previous
estimates a/		 Revised
estimates
(thousand tonnes) (Per cent)
World gross production 5 242 4 890 4 823 – 419 – 8.0%
World grindings 4 981 5 071 5 081 + 100 + 2.0%
Surplus/deficit b/ + 209 – 230 – 306
 
End-of-season stocks 1 928 1 683 1 622 – 306 – 15.9%
Stocks/Grindings ratio 38.7% 33.2% 31.9%

Notes:
a/ Estimates published in Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, Vol. XLVIII – No. 3 – Cocoa year 2021/2022
b/  Surplus/deficit: net world crop (gross crop adjusted for 1% 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 October-December 2020 to April-June 2022. 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 ICCO e-Shop: https://www.icco.org/categorie-produit/qbcs/ or by email: statistics.section@icco.org

Cocoa Market Report for October 2022

Abidjan, 15 November 2022 – The International Cocoa Organization releases the Cocoa Market Report for October 2022. The current report highlights the following insights:

  • In Côte d’Ivoire, the floods are reported to have restricted the transportation of cocoa beans from the farms to the ports and could be the reason for the year-on-year cocoa arrivals seen during the first few weeks of the 2022/23 season at the country’s ports of exports.
  • In neighbouring Ghana, while no fresh data were available on the level of volumes of graded and sealed cocoa beans for the 2022/23 season, the situation is being closely monitored as the country recorded a drastic cut in production compared to last season.
  • For the 2021/22 cocoa season, cocoa processing activities increased year-on-year in Europe and Southeast Asia, whereas they dropped in North America.
  • During October 2022, cocoa futures prices were lower year-on-year on both sides of the Atlantic.

You can download the complete report by clicking here.