West African Crop Optimism Weighs on Cocoa

2025-11-06 16:47 By Luisa Carvalho 1 min. read

Cocoa futures traded below $6,100 per tonne, down from recent one-month highs of $6,600 per tonne, amid optimism for a strong West African cocoa crop.

Ivorian farmers noted that trees are thriving and dry weather aided drying, whereas Ghanaian farmers said pods are maturing well under favorable weather.

Chocolate maker Mondelez recently reported that the latest cocoa pod count in West Africa is 7% above the five-year average and significantly higher than last year’s level.

The main-crop harvest in Ivory Coast has just begun, with producers optimistic about quality.

Meanwhile, concerns about weak demand also pressured prices.

Delivering its financial results, top chocolate producer Barry Callebaut said it anticipates a mid-single-digit drop in cocoa product sales in the upcoming fiscal year due to still-elevated prices.



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