Cocoa bean exports from Indonesia's main growing area on Sulawesi island fell by 59 percent in the first four months of 2006 compared with a year ago due to limited stocks, industry data showed on Monday.
Exports of cocoa beans fell to 22,263 tonnes in the January-to-April period of 2006, from 54,157 tonnes last year. April's exports alone fell by 66.6 percent to 7,435 tonnes, from 22,241 tonnes of cocoa beans from the same month a year ago.
The cocoa beans came mostly from South Sulawesi province and a small amount from Southeast Sulawesi.
The beans were sold via Makassar port in South Sulawesi.
Industry officials have said erratic weather at the start of the year may cut output from the main crop harvest that traditionally runs from April to July.
Cocoa beans from Sulawesi Island may fall 10 percent this year from around 200,000 tonnes last year because of the rains.
Indonesia is the world's third-largest cocoa producer after Ivory Coast and Ghana. Sulawesi accounts for 75 percent of the country's total cocoa beans output.
Cocoa beans are sold to grinders for processing into butter and cake, which is later pressed into powder for making chocolate, cakes, beverages and ice cream.
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