Declared cocoa arrivals at ports in top grower Ivory Coast hit 369,216 tonnes by December 5 since the start of the season in October, according to data from regulator BCC obtained by Reuters on Tuesday. The figures stood below the 430,555 tonnes arriving during roughly the same period to December 7 last season, but a BCC source said a further 58,000 tonnes had not been declared so the figure would be revised up at the next count.
That would mean the real figure is roughly 427,000 tonnes, only slightly down on last season's, despite an increasingly tense political crisis over a disputed election. Separately, exporters estimated that 487,000 tonnes had arrived by December 12 since the start of the season in October, implying a further 60,000 tonnes arrived in the past week. The figures suggest the cocoa is getting to ports despite a power struggle between incumbent leader Laurent Gbagbo and challenger Alassane Ouattara over who won a November 28 poll.
That could change if Ouattara's camp carry out a threat to hold a mass demonstration to seize control of state TV and government buildings later in the week, a move that could spark confrontation with security forces loyal to Gbagbo. Cocoa futures hit four-month highs this week after the two presidential candidates claimed victory in the run-off, raising worries the West African country could tipback into conflict, hindering cocoa shipments.
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