Ivory Coast cocoa prices mixed

Farmgate prices in Ivory Coast's main cocoa regions were mixed from February 27 to March 5, Coffee and Cocoa Bourse (BCC) data showed on Tuesday.
In the western region of Abengourou, which borders Ghana, the average price jumped to 435 CFA francs ($0.8) per kg in the spell and one co-operative manager there said farmgate prices were boosted by some exporters paying more for stocks.
"Exporters like Cargill and ADM have lifted their prices over the weekend to encourage co-operatives which still have stocks to move them," said co-operative manager Daouda Toure.
"Prices reached 430 CFA per kg last weekend. It is a business tactic to get the last beans from the main crop. But cocoa remains scarce in the bush," he said.
In the western town of Soubre, the average price fell in the period with one co-operative manager in the region blaming the decline on weak competition as buyers waited until later in the month to make purchases.
"The quantities are very weak A lot of buyers are waiting until the end of March to resume buying in the hope that the volume in the bush will rise in this period," said co-operative manager Youssouf Koumoue.