(Ecofin Agency) - The Ivorian government announced it would suspend the distribution of high-yielding and enhanced cocoa seeds during the 2018/2019 season. This decision raised many concerns among the operators.

According to Reuters, those operators fear a surge of the diseases affecting cocoa trees and a decline in the quality of production which will actually negatively impact the Ivorian bean on the world market. 

Indeed, as growers are short of enhanced seeds, they could resort to low-yielding seeds and use cuttings from existing cocoa trees for multiplication, fostering the spread of Swollen Shoot.

“The industry has developed the cocoa sector over the last 10 years by injecting millions of dollars. But also the know-how that makes it possible to have beans of excellent quality,” a source told Reuters.

Reuters reported that thanks to various investments, the yield per hectare improved from 350-400 kg to 800 kg of cocoa in 10 years.  

Espoir Olodo