Cote d'Ivoire's farmers expect to harvest 280,000-300,000 tonnes of cocoa during the mid-crop season, which begins in April and ends in September, compared with an average of 550,000 tonnes harvested annually during this period over the past decade, several cocoa bean sellers and exporters told a Western media outlet.
"What has caused this significant drop in production is the long period of drought from November until now. It's unusual, and the consequences are catastrophic," the media quoted an exporter as saying.
As a result of the prolonged drought, the first cocoa beans will arrive at ports much later than expected, as farms do not yet have a ready crop.
Meanwhile, cocoa market prices have fallen nearly 34% since the beginning of 2025, from almost $12,000 per tonne in January to about $8,000 as of Wednesday.