Cocoa beans rot in Ivory Coast after commodity crash

Описание: (8 Mar 2026)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kouamé-Kouassikro, Bouaflé, Ivory Coast - 23 February 2026

1. Various of Simplice Konan Konan, a cocoa farmer, drying his cocoa
2. Simplice Konan Konan and cocoa treatment agent Léopold Kouassi walk to Simplice’s cocoa field in Kouamé-Kouassikro
3. Close of cocoa plant
4. Women walk through cocoa fields in Bouafle
5. Wide of Simplice Konan Konan and cocoa treatment agent Léopold Kouassi in the cocoa field in the Bouafle area
6. SOUNDBITE (French) Simplice Konan Konan, Cocoa farmer:
“They have been weighing the cocoa since November. To this day I still haven’t received the money, and I still have dried cocoa in my house. I can’t find anyone to buy it. Right now I don’t have money for work in the fields.”

7. Various of Simplice Konan Konan and cocoa treatment agent Léopold Kouassi in the cocoa field in the Bouafle area
8. Mid of cocoa tree
9. Wide of men gathered in Kouamé-Kouassikro village
10. SOUNDBITE (French) Célestin Kouassi Kouadio, chief of Kouamé-Kouassikro village:
“We are even tempted to abandon cocoa farming to plant cassava or cashew instead. That is also what we want to do. Because we earn nothing from coffee and cocoa, so it is better for us to do something else.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Daloa, Ivory Coast - 20 February 2026

11. Wide of men at warehouse carrying sacks containing cocoa

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bouaflé, Ivory Coast - 23 February 2026

12. Cocoa beans are laid out on the table of a storage warehouse in Bouaflé
13. SOUNDBITE (French) Diarra Bosh SYNAPCI official, Bouaflé:
“This is cocoa storage — there is no money. Since November and December, products that were sent to Abidjan — not even 5 CFA francs have been paid. People only have receipts. I will show you some receipts without money; I have two receipts with me. There is no money, nothing has been paid, and we are worried — will middlemen come and find this stock in our hands, and at what price will they buy it? Here are the receipts.”

14. Cocoa beans in storage units in Bouaflé

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast - 27 February 2026

15. Various of Researcher Marcelin N’Da showing his research book
16. SOUNDBITE (French) Marcelin N’Da - researcher, cocoa specialist, National Polytechnic Institute Félix Houphouët-Boigny – INPHB:
”At the operational level, for example, we propose reforming price-setting to create a price band system. This would allow producers to benefit from price increases, and when prices fall, the entire value chain would share the risks and consequences — so that the producer alone does not bear the impact of falling prices.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Daloa, Ivory Coast - 21 February 2026

17. Cocoa farmers gather to demonstrate in Daloa
18. SOUNDBITE (French) Maître Kouassi, cooperative leader and jurist:
“Instead of payment, we were given receipts as promises of later payment. Those among us who did not wish to accept these famous receipts were offered a purchase price per kilogram of coffee below the official price. Or several kilograms were deducted from each sack for the benefit of the buyer. In total helplessness, this situation caused us harm.”

19. Various of cocoa farmers gathering at a cocoa farmers meeting in Daloa

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Abidjan, Ivory Coast - 4 March 2026

20. Various exteriors of Ivory Coast’s Presidential Palace
21. Various of the council of ministers gathering for their weekly Wednesday meeting
22. Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé walks with ministers in the Presidential Palace
23. SOUNDBITE (French) Amadou Coulibaly - Minister of Communication and Government Spokesperson:




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