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Some 1,500 stakeholders from around the world and across the sector are expected to gather in Berlin in April to discuss the most important issues in cocoa and chocolate, and how progress can be made in assuring and equitable future for all of them.

The fourth edition of the biennial World Cocoa Conference, scheduled for 22 – 25 April at the Maritim Hotel Berlin — organized by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) — will address the problems of smallholder cocoa farmers hit by longstanding low prices for the commodity, among many other important issues.

Examining the topics of production, trade, consumption and the sustainability of the whole sector, world experts will join with representatives of producer and consumer country governments, the trade, chocolate industry and civil society in a heavily interactive mix of presentations, discussions and networking that will involve stakeholders from 60 countries.

Graciously hosted by the government of the German Federal Republic, the Conference is to be opened by a group of senior government Ministers and top officials from the world’s most important cocoa producing and cocoa consuming nations, and will include plenary sessions addressed by senior executives of the largest multinational chocolate companies, including Mars Wrigley, Ritter Sport and Barry Callebaut.

An innovative day of breakout sessions will take deep dives into some viable solutions for the complex problems of the cocoa sector, involving everyone from senior academics and representatives of development bodies to the crucial cocoa farmers themselves, hailing from the most significant origins all over the globe. In total, over a hundred moderators, presenters and panelists will bring varied approaches to tackling these most difficult issues, and new technology at the Conference will bring the various stakeholders together to become the most inclusive and representative event in cocoa.

In another part of the Conference, the role of Women in Cocoa and Chocolate will be highlighted in a special forum organized in conjunction with NGO Solidaridad. The Fine and Flavour Cocoa sector will also be the subject of a day-long ancillary event, organized with the help of the International Institute of Chocolate and Cacao Tasting, and looking at the increasing share of the single origin cocoa segment, as well as developments in the market for the high value speciality chocolate products that use these exemplary cocoas.

The wide-ranging Conference — accompanied by an Exhibition showcasing some of the major suppliers to the sector and institutions involved in assisting its development worldwide — once again will serve as a gathering place for the cocoa world for four days in April. The Conference will immediately precede the International Cocoa Council’s meeting of Member countries of the ICCO.

For updated information on the Fourth World Cocoa Conference, including the latest programme and details on how to attend, please visit the event website www.worldcocoaconference.org.

For information about sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities, please contact +44 (0) 20 7780 4340 or info@worldcocoaconference.org.

London, 25 January 2018–The ICCO Expert Working Group on Stocks (EWGS) met at the London offices of ICE Futures Europe to review the level of world cocoa bean stocks. The EWGS is composed of experts in the cocoa field who meet once a year, at the invitation of the ICCO, to review and analyse the results of the ICCO’s annual survey of cocoa stocks held in warehouses worldwide. The survey has been conducted every year since 2000 and aims to improve transparency in the cocoa market.

The ICCO survey of European warehouse stocks showed a stock draw of 51,238 tonnes. Published data from North America showed a stock build of 106,000 tonnes. The Working Group, taking account of the level of world cocoa bean stocks identified by the ICCO survey and additional market information, estimated that world cocoa bean stocks increased by 144,000 tonnes compared to the previous year. This result reflects a cocoa supply surplus smaller than the one published by the ICCO in its latest Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics (QBCS) in November 2017, estimated at 335,000 tonnes for the 2016/2017 season.

The review conducted by the EWGS during its meeting led to the conclusion that the survey results have probably underestimated the increase of existing world stocks during that year, due to the expansion of “invisible” stocks – i.e. stocks held in locations not reporting to the ICCO survey. The most significant area of “invisible” stocks was identified as Asia. The Secretariat agreed to approach the Cocoa Association of Asia in order to increase transparency of stock levels in the region.

The ICCO Secretariat maintains its supply surplus estimate of 335,000 tonnes for 2016/2017 as published in its latest QBCS.

Abidjan, 31 August 2017–The International Cocoa Organization today releases its revised forecasts for the current 2016/2017 cocoa year and revised estimates of world production, grindings and stocks of cocoa beans for 2015/2016, as summarized below. The data published in Issue No. 3 – Volume XLIII – Cocoa year 2016/2017 of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, reflect the most recent information available to the Secretariat as at the beginning of August 2017.

Summary of revised forecasts and estimates

Notes:
a/   Estimates published in Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, Vol. XLIII – No. 2 – Cocoa year 2016/2017
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 revised forecasts for the 2016/2017 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 Bulletin includes 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 April-June quarter of 2017.

Statistical information on trade in cocoa beans, cocoa products and chocolate, by country and by region, published in this edition, covers annual data from 2013/2014 to 2015/2016 and quarterly statistics for the period April-June 2015 to October-December 2016. 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 2007/2008 to 2015/2016 are presented for reference.

Copies of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, including Microsoft Excel files and Adobe PDF format [media-downloader media_id=”1559″ texts=”can be ordered by completing and returning this form”] or from the ICCO Secretariat at the address below:

International Cocoa Organization, ICCO Building, II-Plateaux ENA – Avenue Boga Doudou, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Tel: +225 22 51 49 50/51; Fax: +225 22 51 49 79; E-mail: registry@icco.org or info@icco.org

In a landmark event for the Organization, around 500 people gathered on 25 April for the formal inauguration of the ICCO’s new headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Ivorian Vice President H.E. Mr. Daniel Kablan Duncan was present for the ceremony, along with H.E. Mr. Mamadou Sangafowa Coulibaly, Minister of Agriculture, H.E. Mr. Souleymane Diarrassouba, Minister of Trade and Mr. Robert Beugré Mambé, Governor of the Abidjan Autonomous District.

They were joined by ICCO Council Chairman 2016-17 H.E. Mr. Luis Valverde, ICCO Executive Director Dr. Jean-Marc Anga and representatives from embassies, intergovernmental organisations and cocoa sector stakeholders.

The ceremony took place during the 95th regular session of the International Cocoa Council and subsidiary bodies.

The relocation of the ICCO to Abidjan should focus even more the Organization’s attention towards the requirements of producers.

“Côte d’Ivoire is now convinced that the presence of ICCO in Abidjan will provide opportunities to better understand the realities of the sector and to better appreciate the expectations of producers,” Vice President Kablan Duncan said.

“Through our establishment in a producing country,” Dr. Anga said, “we want to offer better access to information on the world of cocoa and to identify the existing opportunities that producing countries could benefit from. The goal is to improve the transparency of the cocoa market by providing member countries with cocoa studies, analyses and statistics, as well as forecasts on world supply and demand.”

The move to Côte d’Ivoire’s commercial capital after 44 years being headquartered in London, comes after a decision by the Council in 2015, following an invitation by the Ivorian government. The government provided and completely refurbished a three-storey building in the city’s Deux Plateaux area, which now houses the Organization’s 25 staff members.

Pictured–Top left: ICCO Executive Director Dr. Jean-Marc Anga (l) with Ivorian Vice President H.E. Mr. Daniel Kablan Duncan; Above right: The Vice President presents the keys to the building to ICCO Council Chairman H.E. Mr. Luis Valverde; Above left: the commemorative plaque marking the building’s inauguration as ICCO headquarters