(Ecofin Agency) - In Côte d'Ivoire, cocoa farmers sell the kilogram of beans for 500 CFA francs (FCFA), a level which is fairly below the minimum price set at 700 CFA francs for the interim campaign, reports Reuters.

Among reasons for this is buyers’ economic fragility as exporters face difficulties in the market given global fall of the commodity’s prices. Indeed, since exporters do not buy the crop forehand, buyers pay out of their pocket and this stresses them, according to Reuters.

"Since they no longer invest in purchases, exporters are more likely to reject beans when they are of lower quality. In so doing, in order to prevent financial losses, it is appropriate that we obtain the beans at a cost lower than the basic price" Said Mohamed Sylla, a Client based in the southern region of Divo.

In addition to economic fragility, a dozen producers interviewed by Reuters said buyers’ scarcity caused them to sell the beans at lower rates. “Usually present at least once a day for their supply, buyers now come every week or every day. If you do not offer a good price for beans, no one will buy”, explained Bakary Diakite, a producer from Soubré which is the Western region.

Let us recall that, the intermediate campaign began on April 1 and is to around September-ending.

Espoir Olodo