Cocoa Market Report for October 2023

Abidjan, 16 November 2023 – The International Cocoa Organization releases the Cocoa Market Report for October 2023. The current report highlights the following insights:

  • Two consecutive years of deficit in conjunction with the expectation of another deficit heats price rallies.
  • For October 2023, prices of the nearby cocoa futures contract averaged US$3,844 per tonne and US$3.604 per tonne in London and in New York respectively.
  • Weather was the major factor that affected supply. Unseasonal heavy rains have prevented the drying of beans and led to degraded bean quality. Black pod disease and swollen shoot virus due to the excess rains have been reported in cocoa-producing regions. Floods have also rendered major roads in some cocoa regions to be difficult to access. Should the weather revert to normal conditions for this time of the year, it is likely arrivals may improve as more beans may start to leave the farms for the ports.
  • Based on published grindings data from the European Cocoa Association (ECA), National Confectioners Association (NCA) and the Cocoa Association of Asia (CAA), total grindings for the 2022/23 season dropped by almost 4% from 2,844,132 tonnes in the 2021/22 season to 2,739,982 tonnes.
  • It is too early to know how demand is faring amid cocoa price increases and slowdown in cocoa production. The subsequent quarters’ grindings data publication will provide a better view of how cocoa demand unfolds.

You can download the complete report by clicking here.

 

Call for bids to host the 3rd edition of the International Symposium on Cocoa Research

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 02 November 2023. The ICCO Secretariat is pleased to announce the relaunching of the process for the selection of the host country for the 3rd edition of the International Symposium on Cocoa Research (ISCR), to take place during the last quarter of 2025 or the first quarter of 2026.

The International Symposium on Cocoa Research (ISCR), organised jointly by the ICCO and the host country, is a 4-day event during which cocoa scientists from different academic disciplines exchange their latest findings and agree on priorities for collective actions.

The Symposium offers host country institutions a unique opportunity to become a reference in cocoa research and to interact with cocoa industry leaders and high-level speakers, who will present their most recent studies and point the way forward for the cocoa sector.

The International Symposium on Cocoa Research is becoming a well-established event in the sector. The last edition held in Montpellier, France, jointly organized with CIRAD (French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development), has attracted relevant sponsors and over 500 participants, not only from the scientific community, but also from the entire cocoa value chain, making it a must-attend event for anyone concerned with the future of cocoa.

In view of the above, we invite all countries, ICCO Members and non-Members, wishing to host the next ISCR to consult the Terms of Reference below and to submit their candidatures before December 29, 2023.

 

TERMS OF REFERENCE

The ICCO International Symposium on Cocoa Research (ISCR) is a 4-day event during which cocoa scientists from different academic disciplines exchange their latest scientific findings and agree on priorities for collective actions. A scientific committee, to be established by the ICCO, will be in charge of the Symposium’s programme and the selection of abstracts under the guidance of the ICCO Secretariat.

Cocoa-exporting countries, preferably from the African or Asian continent, interested in hosting the 3rd ISCR are invited submit their bids to the ICCO Secretariat. Their expression of interest will indicate which of the following items they or their government will fully or partially finance and any other additional points that would enhance their bid to host the Symposium.

The applicant should commit to contribute to 50% of the total budget of the conference and include a written confirmation of this commitment in the bid. The other half of the budget will be covered by the ICCO. The projected budget for the 3rd ISCR, based on the final costs of the 2nd ISCR, is approximately 600,000 euros, therefore applicants should be prepared for a similar financial obligation (Draft budget available upon request).

Convention centres, tour operators and other private companies active in the hospitality and conference sector are kindly requested to provide evidence of the support (financial, and otherwise) of their public authorities.

  1. LOCATION. The venue should be in a city with easy access to an international airport.
  2. ACCOMMODATION. A number of hotels should be identified with preferential rates negotiated for participants. The hotels should include two to five-star hotels to cater for different budgets for participants.
  3. CONFERENCE ROOMS. The main conference room should have a minimum capacity for up to 500 participants. Two additional rooms are needed to hold breakout or parallel sessions. As an alternative, the main conference room could be partitioned into three conference rooms.
  4. RESEARCH DISPLAY/EXHIBITION SPACE. A Poster exhibition and another exhibition will take place during the conference. The conference venue should have enough space, adjacent to the conference rooms, to allow up to 50 standard 9 square metre exhibition stands.
  5. AUDIO-VISUAL AND OFFICE EQUIPMENT. AV, IT and office equipment (microphones, projectors, screens, laptops, printers, office supplies, etc.) are required for the three conference rooms.
  6. SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION. Simultaneous interpretation into English, French and Spanish should be available throughout the symposium in all conference rooms. Relevant interpretation personnel and equipment (headphones and translation booths) are required.
  7. SMALL ROOMS. Three small rooms should be available at the conference venue. One room should serve as an office for the ICCO Secretariat and, therefore, be equipped with a number of computers, printers and a good internet connection. The other two should be available to allow for group meetings whenever these are required during the Symposium.
  8. REGISTRATION BOOTH STANDS AND SIGNAGE. Booths set up in order for participants to register and signage in the Symposium venue should be available.
  9. STAFF FOR REGISTRATION, HOSTESSES AND RAPPORTEURS. Under the guidance of the ICCO Secretariat, an adequate number of staff to handle Symposium registration and to direct delegates at all events throughout the period of the Symposium should be available. Rapporteurs should be available to assist the ICCO Secretariat in drafting the reports for each session.
  10. CATERING SERVICES. Participants at the Symposium will be provided with daily lunch at the Symposium venue. In addition, participants will be provided with cocoa drinks, coffee, tea and snacks during breaks. Arrangements should be made within the Symposium venue for an appropriate nearby space where participants can have their lunches and cocoa breaks.
  11. GALA DINNER. A gala dinner for all participants, to be held either at the Symposium venue or at an appropriate offsite venue with transportation provided, should be included in the bid. While participants to the gale dinner will have to pay their participation, bidders are encouraged to fully sponsor the gala dinner.
  12. CULTURAL/COCOA-RELATED EVENTS OR VISITS. Part of the hospitality to be provided by the host could include cultural events to showcase the rich culture of the host country and/or a cocoa/chocolate-related visit.
  13. VISA. Assistance to obtain entry visas for Symposium participants should be provided. This could include a personal invitation letter from the Host Government to be sent – on request – to participants following registration, information on visa procedures, etc.
    The deadline for the ICCO to receive a formal bid to host the International Symposium on Cocoa Research is 29 December 2023, close of business GMT.

Draft available upon request. Bids should be sent in digital format to Mr José JIMÉNEZ PUERTA, Economist, International Cocoa Organization, jose.jimenez-puerta@icco.org

The International Cocoa Council will consider all formal bids by May 2024 at the latest.

For further information or enquiries about bidding for the 3rd International Symposium on Cocoa Research, please contact Mr José Jiménez Puerta, Economist, International Cocoa Organization; tel: +225 27 22 51 49 60; email: jose.jimenez-puerta@icco.org

Terms of Reference – Adobe InDesign user

Abidjan, 30 October 2023. Terms of reference Adobe InDesign user

The ICCO is seeking a qualified Adobe InDesign user who will typeset text and images – prepared by the ICCO – into a specific Adobe InDesign template.

Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics (QBCS) Commentary

On a quarterly basis, the ICCO publishes the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics (QBCS) in four languages: English, French, Spanish and Russian.  The commentary section of this publication is approximately 35 pages. The text and the image layout are set using Adobe InDesign as a desktop publisher software.

Objective:

To typeset text and images of the QBCS commentary in English, French, Spanish and Russian into an Adobe InDesign template.

Deliverables:

The English version needs to be ready three days before the end of November, February, May and August each year. The French, Spanish and Russian version should be ready by the end of December, March, June and September each year.

Point of reference:

Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics

Duration of the assignment:

To be discussed

CV and motivation letter to be send to Recruitment@icco.org

Revision of Annex “C” of the International Cocoa Agreement (ICA), 2010

Abidjan, 10 October 2023 – At its 108th Ordinary Session, the International Cocoa Council, following the recommendation of the ICCO Ad-hoc Panel on Fine Flavor Cocoa, held on June 13-14, 2023, has amended Annex C as shown in the table below. This “Annex C” replaces the previous version as amended by the Council at its 34th Special Session in December 2020.

 

Countries Share of total exports of the country classified as fine and flavour cocoa
Brazil 100%
Cameroun a/
Colombia 80%
Costa Rica 100%
Dominican Republic a/; b/
Ecuador 75%
El Salvador 100%
Ghana a/
Grenada 100%
Haiti 10%
Indonesia 10%
Jamaica 100%
Madagascar 100%
Malaysia a/
Nicaragua 80%
Papua New Guinea 80%
Peru 75%
Trinidad and Tobago 100%
Venezuela, Bolivarian Rep. of a/
Vietnam 80%

Notes:
a/ Fine or Flavour cocoa bean exports are present, but the Panel is not able at this time to evaluate and determine a percentage.
b/ The Dominican Republic will be invited to present its country dossier to the Panel at a later stage.

Cocoa Market Report for September 2023

Abidjan, 16 October 2023 – The International Cocoa Organization releases the Cocoa Market Report for September 2023. The current report highlights the following insights:

  • A deficit of around 100,000 tonnes is currently estimated for the 2022/23 season which just ended.
  • Supply shortfall supported cocoa prices which in real terms surpassed the levels recorded during the 2021/22 season.
  • Cross-border flows of cocoa beans have been reported.  At present, however, it is not possible to assess the extent of this geographical arbitrage as the 2023.Q3 official trade statistics will become available in 2024.Q1.
  • The incidence of bean hoarding was reported due to expectations of a higher farm gate price for the 2023/24 season.
  • If farmers hoarded cocoa, does this really reflect that the volume of production for the just ended 2022/23 may be higher than actual arrivals and purchases for the season? As part of the 2022/23 crop will be tallied as inclusive of the 2023/24 harvest, the estimated deficit of 100,000 tonnes could be overestimated.

You can download the complete report by clicking here.

 

Closing of the 108th ordinary session of the ICCO Council In Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 6 October 2023. The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) held the 108th session of its Council from October 2 to 6 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, under the chairmanship of Mr. Abel Fernandez of the Dominican Republic, during the same week as the Organization’s 50th anniversary celebration.

Throughout this meeting, held at the Palm Club Hotel in Abidjan in a 100% face-to-face meeting format for the first time after 3 years of remote participation, the Members of ICCO engaged in a productive exchange of views and made important contributions to analyze the latest developments in the global cocoa economy. Some of the key topics discussed during the week included:

  • Election of a new Chairman of the International Cocoa Council, Mr. Rafael Soriano, Ambassador of Spain to Côte d’Ivoire
  • Update on the next World Cocoa Conference to be held at The Square, Brussels, 21-24 April 2024.
  • Update on the latest developments of the world cocoa market.
  • Update of the Annex C (Fine Flavour Cocoa) of the International Cocoa Agreement, 2010

The next 109th International Cocoa Council will be held in April 2024 in Brussels, Belgium, following the celebration of the 5th edition of the World Cocoa Conference to be held from 21 to 24 April 2024.

For more info, please contact info@icco.org

The International Cocoa Organization celebrates 50 years of commitment to sustainable cocoa and a living income for farmers

On 3 October 2023, the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) celebrated its 50th anniversary at a ceremony held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to mark half a century of commitment to sustainable growth in the cocoa sector and a living income for cocoa farmers worldwide.

The event, attended by over 1,000 guests, was graced by the presence of the President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, His Excellency M. Alassane OUATTARA, and His Excellency M. Nana AKUFFO-ADDO, President of the Republic of Ghana.

Patrick ACHI, Prime Minister, Head of Government of Côte d’Ivoire, the Presidents of Institutions, Dr. Souleymane DIARRASSOUBA, Minister of Trade, Industry and SME Promotion, other Members of the Ivorian Government and the Director General of the Côte d’Ivoire Coffee-Cocoa Council also played an active part in this event.

Representatives of the ICCO’s 52 Member countries, the Diplomatic Corps, international organisations, civil society and the local and international private sector came together to voice their support for the Organization’s work.

Professor Chalmin of Paris Dauphine University gave a lecture entitled “The ICCO, the sustainability of the world cocoa economy and a living income for producers”.

This 50th anniversary celebration provided a chance not only to look back on the Organization’s achievements but also to reflect on the future challenges facing the cocoa sector.

Established in 1973 under the auspices of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and operating through successive International Cocoa Agreements, the ICCO has played a major role in advocating the sustainability of the cocoa sector and a living income for producers.

Over the years, the Organization has become a reference centre and source of statistical information on the world cocoa economy, facilitating policy dialogue and international cooperation between its exporting and importing Members, as well as with private sector players.

Initially based in London, the International Cocoa Council – the Organization’s supreme decision-making body – voted in favour of relocating to Abidjan in 2017, at the invitation of the government of Côte d’Ivoire.

For further information, please contact:   info@icco.org

108th International Cocoa Council and Subsidiary Bodies, 02 – 06 October 2023, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

Abidjan, 28 September 2023 – The International Cocoa Council and subsidiary bodies, including the Consultative Board on the World Cocoa Economy and the Economics and Administration and Finance Committees, will meet from 02 to 06 October, 2023.

This information is restricted to ICCO Members. Please go to Member area for more information.

Timetable of Meetings, 02-06 October 2023, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

 

MEETING
46th Consultative Board  (Monday, 02 October)

09:00 – 17:00 GMT
Official celebration of the 50th anniversary (Tuesday, 03 October)

09:00 – 13:30 GMT / Gala Dinner 19:00 – 22:30
Opening of the 108th International Cocoa Council and 21st Economics Committe (Wednesday, 04 October)

09:00 – 17:00 GMT
21st Economics Committe, 24th Administration and Finance Committee* and 108th International Cocoa Council (Thursday, 05 October)

09:00 – 17:00 GMT
 108th International Cocoa Council (Friday, 06 October)

09:00 – 17:00 GMT

 

Cocoa Market Report for August 2023

Abidjan, 19 September 2023 – The International Cocoa Organization releases the Cocoa Market Report for August 2023. The current report highlights the following insights:

  • Price rallies in August were influenced by the decline in supplies for the current season as well as concerns for the upcoming 2023/24 season.
  • The front month futures prices averaged US$3,453 per tonne and ranged between US$3,323 and US$3,730 per tonne in London. In New York, the average price was US$3,416 per tonne and ranged between US$3,269 per tonne and US$3,633 per tonne.
  • A year ago, the front-month prices were at an average of US$2,041 per tonne London and settled at an average of US$2,369 per tonne in New York.
  • Month of August witnessed high premiums.
  • Should we expect a repeat of chocolate shrinkflation as manufacturers grapple with high prices of cocoa beans?
  • Or will the soaring cost of cocoa be passed on to consumers and will we see more pushbacks from retailers if manufacturers increase their prices?

You can download the complete report by clicking here.

 

August 2023 Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics

Abidjan, 31 August 2023 – The International Cocoa Organization today releases its revised forecasts for the 2022/23 cocoa year and revised estimates of world production, grindings and stocks of cocoa beans for the 2021/22 cocoa year. The data published in Issue No. 3 – Volume XLIX – cocoa year 2022/23 of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, reflect the most recent information available to the Secretariat as at the beginning of August 2023.

The commentary of the Bulletin highlights that the 2022/23 season is contending with faltering production, growth in demand and relatively high prices.

The turnaround in grinding activities in origin countries has supported the growth in global grindings. Nevertheless, this is not enough to offset the negative grindings in the traditional consuming regions. An observation pointed out in the Bulletin is that there are more exports of semi-finished products from top producing countries to Europe, Southeast Asia and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) countries.

Cocoa prices, in turn, have garnered more support from the combination of the current cocoa supply and demand situation and are hovering at high levels. A review of price developments on international markets for cocoa beans during the April-June quarter of 2023 is also presented.

Summary of forecasts and revised estimates

 

Cocoa year
(Oct-Sep)		 2020/2021 2022/2023 Year-on-year change
Revised
estimates		 Previous
forecasts a/		 Revised
forecasts
(thousand tonnes) (Per cent)
World gross production 4 826 4 980 4 938 + 112 + 2.3%
World grindings 4 994 5 072 5 005 + 11 + 0.2%
Surplus/deficit b/ – 216 – 142 – 116
 
End-of-season stocks 1 843 1 632 1 727 – 116 – 6.3%
Stocks/Grindings ratio 36.9% 32.2% 34.5%

Notes:
a/ Estimates published in Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, Vol. XLIX – No. 2 – Cocoa year 2022/23
b/  Surplus/deficit: net world crop (gross crop adjusted for loss in weight) minus grindings. Totals may differ due to rounding

 

Statistical information on trade in cocoa beans, cocoa products and chocolate, by country and by region, published in this edition, covers crop year data from 2019/20 to 2021/22 and quarterly statistics for the period July-September 2021 to January-March 2023. Details of origin of imports and destination of exports for leading cocoa importing countries are also provided.

Caution should be exercised in the interpretation of the data in this issue of the Bulletin as they may be subject to revisions in subsequent Bulletins and reports from the Secretariat.

Copies of the Quarterly Bulletin of Cocoa Statistics, in Microsoft Excel and Adobe PDF formats, can be ordered from the new ICCO e-Shop: www.icco.org/shop or by email: statistics.section@icco.org