Ivory Coast election civil unrest sparks fears of cocoa sector impact

Regional reports have emerged revealing cvil unrest surrounding upcoming elections in Ivory Coast that could have a potentially significantly damaging impact on its cocoa harvests, writes Neill Barston.

According to local media and sources within the country, the upcoming elections next week (Oct 25) have proved a flashpoint for opposition parties that claimed to have been repressed, as President Alassane Ouattara, seeks a fourth term in government. 

The 83-year-old leader is seeking re-election amid a notably challenging period for the country, which has seen a reported ban on protests in the nation’s capital, Abidjan. 

According to sources based in the region, the growing threat of unrest in recent weeks has potential to cause significant social and wider economic impact, including within cocoa markets.

As market observers have noted, the unrest, which has included local reports of clamp-downs on rival political groups, could potentially negatively impact on crucial supply of cocoa crops to the country’s ports that are critical for logistics chains around the world for the sector.

Ivory Coast presently supplies around 40% of cocoa to the world’s confectionery sector, though, as with neighbouring Ghana, it has endured a testing period of adverse weather conditions, crop disease, and the impact of illegal gold mining operations on the region’s traditional agricultural lands.

While some optimism was seen recently with an announcement of farm gate prices raised to what is believed to be a record, CFA 2,800 France per kg, smuggling concerns have persisted within the country.

Furthermore, last month, reports emerged of leading cocoa processor Cargill, suspending its operation in Ivory Coast, amid concerns over allegedly poor quality of beans being produced this year. According to reports as per Food Business Middle East & Africa, the latest mid crop harvest from Ivory Coast had reported showed low fat content and elevated acidity levels.

Furthermore, it stated that grinding activity in the country had also declined 31% to 39,301 tonnes year-on-year in July, placing further pressure on a market that had already faced multiple strains.

As for broader conditions, Ivory Coast has previously faced pressure on its cocoa supplies with reports of  cvil unrest that were documented in the 2020 presidential elections.

According to regional BBC reports from the time, political tensions that saw a total of more than 35 people killed in a series of protests that in turn affected the operation of a number of core industries including shipping from the country’s main ports.