World Cocoa Conference adds three events to its programme

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London, 19 February 2016 – As part of the World Cocoa Conference, set for 22 – 25 May at the Barceló Bávaro Convention Center in Bávaro, Dominican Republic, three extra events will enrich the programme of the world’s largest cocoa gathering, the ICCO has just announced.

Immediately prior to the opening of the Conference, in a full-day session on Sunday 22 May, the Cocoa Producers’ Forum will encourage cocoa farmers from all over the world to get together, share experiences and harmonize their ideas in advance of the more formal business and technical sessions. Farmers representing the major cocoa growing regions are due to attend, and the meeting is free of charge to all farmers participating in the World Cocoa Conference.

Working with the international civil society organization Solidaridad, the ICCO is organizing the Women in Cocoa networking event, aimed to get women in the cocoa value chain better connected, and to strengthen networks. The fast-paced event will include short informal presentations, round tables with ‘speed dating’ for participants and demonstrations of food and cocoa products. The event is scheduled for the evening of Monday, 23 May, and will be open free of charge to all registered female participants at the Conference.

Last but not least, and taking place on Thursday, 26 May, immediately after the conclusion of the Conference main sessions, the day-long Fine or Flavour Cocoa Forum is being held to bring together all the participants in the fine or flavour part of the cocoa community. Cocoa growers, exporters and chocolate industry representatives (from the smallest chocolatiers to the large players), are most welcome to attend the Forum, which is being co-organized by the ICCO with direct trade fine cacao organization Direct Cacao. Once again, the Forum is free of charge to registered participants at the Conference.

All of these events are in addition to the main Conference, which runs from the official opening of the Exhibition on the afternoon of Sunday, 22 May to the final Gala Dinner on the evening of Wednesday, 25 May. Already hundreds of delegates have registered for the Conference, which will gather all parts of the cocoa value chain to Bávaro. Hosted by the Government of the Dominican Republic, the event will be officially opened by the country’s President, H E Mr. Danilo Medina Sánchez, and addressed by senior representatives of cocoa producing and consuming country governments, as well as cocoa farmers from around the world, and over 100 speakers and panellists from the cocoa trade, the cocoa and chocolate industry, civil society and ancillary businesses.

For more details of the World Cocoa Conference, including the three extra events, and details of accommodation at discounted rates at the adjacent all-incusive hotels, please click on the logo below to visit the Conference website.

February 2016 Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics

London, 26 February 2016–The International Cocoa Organization today releases its first forecasts for the 2015/2016 cocoa year and revised estimates of world production, grindings and stocks of cocoa beans for 2014/2015, as summarized below. The data published in Issue No. 1 – Volume XLII – Cocoa year 2015/2016 of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, reflect the most recent information available to the Secretariat as at the beginning of February 2016.

Summary of forecasts and revised estimates

 

Cocoa year
(Oct-Sep)		 2014/2015 2015/2016 Year-on-year change
Previous estimates a/ Revised estimates Forecasts
(thousand tonnes) (Per cent)
World production 4 201 4 230
 4 154
 – 76 – 1.8%
World grindings 4 123 4 146
 4 225 + 79 + 1.9%
Surplus/deficit b/  + 36  + 42
  – 113
End-of-season stocks 1 601 1 607 1 494
 – 113 – 7.6%
Stocks/Grindings ratio 38.8% 38.8% 35.4%

Notes:
a/   Estimates published in Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, Vol. XLI – No. 4 – Cocoa year 2014/2015
b/   Surplus/deficit: Net world crop (gross crop adjusted for loss in weight) minus grindings
Totals may differ due to rounding.

This issue of the Bulletin contains the Secretariat’s first forecasts for the 2015/2016 cocoa year, as well as data for the past four years of production and grindings of cocoa beans, detailed by country. The main features of the global cocoa market are illustrated in colour charts. In addition, the Bulletinincludes comments on crop and demand prospects in the leading countries for the current season, and a review of price developments on international markets for cocoa beans during the October-December quarter of 2015.

Statistical information on trade in cocoa beans, cocoa products and chocolate, by country and by region, published in this edition, covers annual data from 2011/2012 to 2013/2014 and quarterly statistics for the period October-December 2013 to April-June 2015. Details of origin of imports and destination of exports for leading cocoa importing countries are also provided. Historical statistics on cocoa trade and consumption, by country and by region, for the period 2005/2006 to 2013/2014 are presented for reference.