Farm-gate prices for cocoa in Ivory Coast's main growing regions remained firm January 1-6, data from the Coffee and Cocoa Bourse (BCC) showed on Friday, with buyers still keen on beans. Data from the BCC for the previous weeks were largely unavailable due to a strike at the industry body and the end-of-year holiday period.
In the western region of Soubre, the heart of the cocoa belt, BCC figures showed the average price was 445 CFA francs ($1) per kg in the spell but farmers said they had sold as high as 500 CFA as exporters wanted more beans.
"Prices have not varied much. In my zone, the prices have remained high. There are still a lot of buyers and they have been paying 475-500 CFA," said farmer Koffi Kouame, whose plantation is near Soubre. "The quality is good because it hasn't rained for some time. The buyers are very happy," he said. The official average price was not available in the centre-western region of Daloa, which produces a quarter of output in the world's top grower, but farmers said it was around 475 CFA francs in the spell.