Despite a decline in yield in wet cocoa beans, growers are getting at least ₹100 more per kg this year.
The Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative (Campco) Ltd offered a maximum of ₹150 a kg for wet cocoa beans and ₹580 a kg for dry cocoa beans on July 16. The price of wet cocoa beans was around ₹50 a kg during the same period a year ago.
A Kishore Kumar Kodgi, President of Campco, told businessline that the yield in wet cocoa beans, which results production of dry beans, in has come down below 25 per cent now. Usually, 3 kg of wet cocoa beans yield one kg of dry cocoa beans.
Steady arrivals
On arrivals, Kodgi said the cooperative is getting a steady supply of wet cocoa beans from its grower members.
On the global demand-supply situation, International Cocoa Organisation’s (ICCO) June market review said production in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana has been battered by the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD).
Quoting the Cocoa Health and Extension Division of the Ghana Cocoa Board, ICCO said the hub of Ghana’s cocoa production is the 410,229-hectare western-north region. CSSVD has affected 330,456 hectares or nearly 81 per cent of this production hub.
It said CSSVD is also spreading in Côte d’Ivoire, with Ivorian authorities yet to declare the most-affected region.
“Though there is a global shortage of beans, it is not proper to tag all producing countries as having a lower production for the ongoing season. Outside West Africa, production, and consequently exports from countries in the Americas, like Ecuador among others, have been increasing. Moreover, these countries are benefitng from the ongoing high international prices and investing in cocoa production,” ICCO’s review said.