COPAL COCOA Info - Alliance of Cocoa Producing …. 545.doc · Web view... -27 2348 2317 1,616 Mar...

INSIDE THIS ISSE: ICCO DAILY COCOA PRICES LONDON (LIFFE) FUTURES

MARKET UPDATE NEW YORK (ICE) FUTURES

MARKET UPDATE FROM THE NEWS MEDIA

COPAL COCOACOPAL COCOA InfoInfo A Weekly Newsletter of the Alliance of Cocoa Producing Countries

Health and Nutrition

Production and Quality

The Market Cocoa gains in London as Pound nears six-week

low; Sugar Falls NY cocoa to drop to $2,282, targets $2,245 Cocoa Falls to one-week low on Ivory Coast rains;

Sugar Advances Cameroon cocoa exports up 13% by end of April Brazilian cocoa deliveries down by almost two-

thirds

Processing and Manufacturing

Nestlé USA Sources 100% Certified Cocoa Beans for NESTLÉ® CRUNCH® Bars

ADM Cocoa ensures quality cocoa beans CAMEROON: Ferrero eyes Cameroon cocoa

development

Labour Issues

Environmental Issue Improving rains boost optimism for strong

I.Coast cocoa

Research & Development

Promotion & Consumption

Do your health a favour, drink Cocoa everyday

‘It’s nature’s miracle food’UP-COMING EVENTSUP-COMING EVENTS IN THISIN THIS

Issue No. 545 20th – 24th May 2013

Business & Economy World Cocoa Foundation convenes global cocoa

sector to address sustainability

Others Cocoa Agreement now binds Cameroon and

Europe

In the News (from Newspapers worldwide)

ICCO Daily Cocoa PricesICCO Daily Price

(SDR/tonne)ICCO Daily Price

($US/tonne)London futures

(£/tonne)New York futures

($US/tonne)

20th May 1561.56 2327.89 1544.00 2308.67

21st May 1588.02 2366.46 1572.67 2349.00

22nd May 1563.93 2333.48 1565.33 2314.33

23rd May 1542.96 2301.45 1540.33 2275.00

24th May 1524.81 2279.84 1524.00 2257.00

Average 1556.00 2322.00 1549.00 2301.00

COCOA PRODUCERS’ ALLIANCE, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY COMPLEX TAFAWA BALEWA SQUARE, P.O. BOX 1718, LAGOS, NIGERIA. TEL: +234(0)1-263-5574 FAX: +234(0)1-263-5684

Email: [email protected] Website: www.copal-cpa.org2

mailto:[email protected]

International Financial Futures and Options Exchange (LIFFE)London Futures Market – Summary of Trading Activities

(£ per tone)

Monday 20th May 2013 Month Opening Trans Settle Change High Low Volume

Jul 2013 1552 1538 -11 1553 1536 4,544Sep 2013 1557 1546 -9 1557 1544S 3,164Dec 2013 1558 1548 -8 1558S 1546S 1,831Mar 2014 1545 1542 -6 1551S 1540S 708May 2014 1545 1544 -5 1552S 1540S 117Jul 2014 1550 1549 -5 1554S 1545S 97

Sep 2014 1554 1553 -6 1557S 1552S 69Dec 2014 1556 1557 -5 1562S 1556S 8Mar 2015 1555 -5 0May 2015 1555 -5 0

Average/Totals 1549 10,538

Tuesday 21st May 2013 Month Opening Trans Settle Change High Low Volume

Jul 2013 1536 1569 31 1572S 1533 7,624Sep 2013 1544 1575 29 1578 1544 6,329Dec 2013 1546 1574 26 1576 1546S 2,453Mar 2014 1539 1568 26 1569S 1539 2,538May 2014 1542 1570 26 1572S 1542S 721Jul 2014 1547 1576 27 1578 1547S 376

Sep 2014 1562 1580 27 1580S 1562S 68Dec 2014 1583 1584 27 1583S 1583S 5Mar 2015 1581 1581 26 1581 1581 11May 2015 1581 26 0


Wednesday 22nd May 2013 Month Opening Trans Settle Change High Low Volume

Jul 2013 1567 1562 -7 1577S 1559 7,069Sep 2013 1574 1569 -6 1583S 1566 5,303Dec 2013 1573 1565 -9 1579S 1562S 3,056Mar 2014 1566 1562 -6 1575S 1558 2,737May 2014 1569 1564 -6 1577S 1560S 667Jul 2014 1576 1569 -7 1578S 1567S 54

Sep 2014 1585 1575 -5 1585 1572S 35Dec 2014 1581 -3 0Mar 2015 1581 1574 -7 1583 1581 34May 2015 1574 -7 0


ALLIANCE OF COCOA PRODUCING COUNTRIES, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY COMPLEX, TAFAWA BALEWA SQUARE, P.O. BOX 1718, LAGOS, NIGERIA. TEL: +234-70-9814-1735; +234-70-

9814-1736; FAX: +234-1-290-4262 Email: [email protected] Website: www.copal-cpa.org

3

http://www.nybot.com/reports/dmrs/etsDMRs/dmrFutures.asp?dmrMonth=04&dmrDay=11&dmrYear=2007&commodityID=1&commodityType=future

http://www.copal-cpa.org/







Thursday 23rd May 2013 Month Opening Trans Settle Change High Low Volume

Jul 2013 1553 1537 -25 1573S 1533 5,564Sep 2013 1561 1544 -25 1579S 1540 3,517Dec 2013 1556 1540 -25 1574 1536S 3,392Mar 2014 1552 1538 -24 1571S 1534S 3,501May 2014 1557 1541 -23 1574 1539 594Jul 2014 1576 1546 -23 1578S 1557S 264

Sep 2014 1579 1551 -24 1579S 1579S 5Dec 2014 1555 -26 0Mar 2015 1555 -19 0May 2015 1555 -19 0


Friday 24th May 2013 Month Opening Trans Settle Change High Low Volume

Jul 2013 1529 1522 -15 1533 1520 7,174Sep 2013 1538 1526 -18 1540 1525 3,601Dec 2013 1532 1524 -16 1534 1523 2,573Mar 2014 1534 1521 -17 1535S 1520 3,043May 2014 1533 1525 -16 1539 1526 611Jul 2014 1539 1531 -15 1540S 1531S 161

Sep 2014 1538 1535 -16 1538S 1538S 1Dec 2014 1538 -17 0Mar 2015 1538 -17 0May 2015 1538 -17 0


Average for the week 1530 3121 3121



4










New York Board of Trade(New York Futures Market – Summary of Trading Activities)

(US$ per tone)

Monday 20th May 2013 Month Opening Trans Settle Change High Low Volume

Jul 2013 2307 2301 1 2314 2291 9,233Sep 2013 2314 2307 0 2319 2299 3,094Dec 2013 2312 2312 0 2318 2303 656Mar 2014 2323 2317 0 2329 2309 778May 2014 2321 2320 -1 2322 2320 101Jul 2014 2325 2325 -1 2325 2325 21

Sep 2014 0 2329 -1 0 0 3Dec 2014 0 2337 -1 0 0 7Mar 2015 0 2344 -1 0 0 4


Tuesday 21st May 2013 Month Opening Trans Settle Change High Low Volume

Jul 2013 2304 2345 44 2350 2292 16,072Sep 2013 2309 2349 42 2353 2299 5,488Dec 2013 2312 2353 41 2356 2305 3,325Mar 2014 2310 2356 39 2356 2310 2,331May 2014 2319 2359 39 2357 2319 629Jul 2014 2339 2362 37 2363 2338 221

Sep 2014 2342 2365 36 2355 2340 68Dec 2014 0 2372 35 0 0 6Mar 2015 0 2379 35 0 0 2


Wednesday 22nd May 2013 Month Opening Trans Settle Change High Low Volume

Jul 2013 2344 2317 -28 2347 2304 14,020Sep 2013 2346 2321 -28 2350 2310 5,737Dec 2013 2345 2326 -27 2348 2317 1,616Mar 2014 2349 2330 -26 2354 2320 1,887May 2014 2353 2335 -24 2353 2328 190Jul 2014 2354 2340 -22 2354 2354 6

Sep 2014 2361 2343 -22 2361 2334 39Dec 2014 0 2350 -22 0 0 1Mar 2015 0 2357 -22 0 0 0




5









Thursday 23rd May 2013 Month Opening Trans Settle Change High Low Volume

Jul 2013 2310 2283 -34 2334 2261 18,755Sep 2013 2321 2288 -33 2338 2266 5,973Dec 2013 2311 2294 -32 2343 2272 3,362Mar 2014 2321 2298 -32 2345 2279 2,541May 2014 2322 2304 -31 2346 2284 1,080Jul 2014 2347 2308 -32 2347 2287 93

Sep 2014 2294 2313 -30 2295 2290 205Dec 2014 0 2320 -30 0 0 1Mar 2015 2308 2327 -30 2308 2307 14


Friday 24th May 2013 Month Opening Trans Settle Change High Low Volume

Jul 2013 2265 2246 -37 2270 2244 11,894Sep 2013 2269 2254 -34 2276 2253 3,403Dec 2013 2274 2260 -34 2280 2259 1,503Mar 2014 2285 2265 -33 2286 2265 757May 2014 2280 2270 -34 2287 2273 193Jul 2014 2285 2274 -34 2285 2276 131

Sep 2014 2285 2279 -34 2285 2278 87Dec 2014 0 2286 -34 0 0 0Mar 2015 2301 2293 -34 2301 2301 5


Average for the week 2270 3595 3595



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News

Cocoa gains in London as Pound nears six-week low; Sugar FallsBloombergBy Isis Almeida May 21, 2013 Cocoa rebounded as a weakening pound helped the futures traded in London, while the dollar-denominated beans traded in New York advanced at a slower pace. Sugar retreated.

The pound fell toward a six-week low against the dollar after a report showed U.K. inflation slowed more in April than economists forecast. Consumer prices climbed 2.4 percent from a year earlier, compared with 2.8 percent in March, the Office for National Statistics said in London. The median forecast of 35 economists in a Bloomberg News survey was 2.6 percent. The pound fell 0.5 percent to $1.5179, after sliding to as low as $1.5158 on May 17, the lowest since April 4.

“London cocoa is gaining some support from a weakening pound, but volumes are very light so far,” Jerome Jourquin, head of agricultural commodity derivatives at brokerage Aurel BGC in Paris, said by e-mail today. “There is some support from the industry also, but it’s also not that big.”

Cocoa for delivery in July gained 0.6 percent to 1,547 pounds ($2,348) a ton by 11:06 a.m. on NYSE Liffe in London. It fell 0.7 percent yesterday. Cocoa for July delivery gained 0.1 percent to $2,303 a ton on ICE Futures U.S. in New York.

Sterling dropped versus all except one of its 16 major counterparts before the Bank of England releases minutes of it May 8-9 meeting tomorrow, which will reveal how many policy makers voted to boost asset purchases that tend to weaken a currency. A weaker pound makes sales of the commodity cheaper.Ghana

Cocoa purchases in Ghana, the world’s second-biggest producer, fell 9.9 percent from the start of the season through to May 9, according to data on KnowledgeCharts, a unit of Commodities Risk Analysis in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Purchases, an indication of output, totaled 679,000 tons, down from 754,000 tons a year earlier. The gap in purchases droppped from 14 percent in the Oct. 1 to April 18 period.

Robusta coffee futures for July delivery rose 0.1 percent to $2,007 a ton in London. Arabica coffee futures for July delivery was little changed at $1.352 a pound in New York.

White, or refined, sugar for delivery in August was down 0.1 percent to $474 a ton on NYSE Liffe. Earlier, the price fell to as low as $472.20 a ton, the lowest since July 2010. Raw sugar for delivery in July declined 0.1 percent to 16.80 cents a pound on ICE.



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NEWS

Health and Nutrition

Production & Quality

The Market



NY cocoa to drop to $2,282, targets $2,245Business Recorder (blog)By Shoaib-ur-Rehman Siddiqui23 May 2013

SINGAPORE: New York July cocoa is expected to drop to a support at $2,282 per tonne, as it has completed a wave b rebound.

This wave started at the May 13 low of $2,286 and has adopted a flat pattern within a range of $2,276-$2,364, which is formed by the May 17 low and the 23.6 percent Fibonacci retracement on the rise from the April 4 low of $2,126 to

the May 3 high of $2,437.

A downward wave c is unfolding towards $2,282, the 50 percent retracement, a break below which will lead to a further loss to $2,245, the 61.8 percent retracement.

However, this wave may not stop at $2,245, as it is capable of travelling to $2,199, the 76.4 percent retracement eventually.

No information in this analysis should be considered as being business, financial or legal advice. Each reader should consult his or her own professional or other advisers for business, financial or legal advice regarding the products mentioned in the analyses.

Cocoa Falls to one-week low on Ivory Coast rains; Sugar AdvancesBloombergBy Isis Almeida – at [email protected] 24, 2013 Cocoa fell to a one-week low in London on speculation rainfall in top grower Ivory Coast will boost prospects for the crop. Sugar advanced and coffee slid.

Growing areas in West Africa, the main growing region, got rain last week, with the heaviest amounts falling over southwestern Cameroon and southern Ivory Coast, MDA Weather Services in Gaithersburg, Maryland, said in a report e-mailed on May 21. Ivory Coast is harvesting the smaller of two annual crops known as the mid-crop. Wet weather at this time of the year usually favors the development of the next crop.

“More rain in the Ivory Coast was seen as beneficial for the mid-crop there,” Arthur Liming, a futures specialist at Citigroup Inc. in Chicago, said in a report e-mailed yesterday.Cocoa for delivery in July slid 0.5 percent to 1,529 pounds ($2,310) a metric ton by 11:01 a.m. on NYSE Liffe in London. The price fell to as low as 1,525 pounds, the lowest since May 17. Cocoa for July delivery dropped 0.9 percent to $2,263 a ton on ICE Futures U.S. in New York.

July cocoa yesterday in New York fell below its recent trading range, Liming said.

Ivory Coast’s central-western Daloa region, which has average annual production of about 300,000 tons of cocoa, got 40.3 millimeters (1.6 inches) of rain from May 11 to May 20, according to the country’s National Meteorological Service. That is higher than the historical average of 39 millimeters. In the southwestern Soubre region, Sassandra got 55.1 millimeters compared with 56 millimeters for the long term.

Robusta coffee futures for July delivery were 1.2 percent lower to $1,964 a ton in London. Arabica coffee futures for July delivery were unchanged at $1.3005 a pound in New York.

Raw sugar for delivery in July rose 0.4 percent to 16.83 cents a pound on ICE. White, or refined, sugar for delivery in August was up 0.3 percent to $476.10 a ton on NYSE Liffe.

Cameroon cocoa exports up 13% by end of April



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AgraNet (subscription)May 24 2013CAMEROON, the world's fifth largest cocoa grower, exported 189,149 tonnes by the end of April, up 13% from 167,941 tonnes in the same period last season, according to statistics from the National Cocoa and Coffee Board (NCCB) on Friday.In April, Cameroon shipped 5,849 tonnes of cocoa beans, up slightly from 4,492 tonnes for the same month last year.

Brazilian cocoa deliveries down by almost two-thirdsAgraNet (subscription)May 24 2013WAREHOUSE deliveries of cocoa from Brazil's main growing regions and from imports were down 59% from May 1 to 19 compared with the same period a year earlier, Bahia Commercial Association data showed.

In a weekly crop bulletin, cocoa analyst Thomas Hartmann in Bahia, Brazil's main cocoa state, said current forecasts for the mid crop now being harvested were for only 700,000 to 900,000 60kg bags, versus last year's 1.6m bags.

World Cocoa Foundation convenes global cocoa sector to address sustainabilityPR Newswire (press release)-May 22, 2013

WHAT: WCF 23rd Partnership Meeting

WHEN: June 5 – 6, 2013

WHERE: Embassy Suites – Convention Center, Washington, D.C.

WHO: More than 200 representatives from industry, government, development organizations, and research

institutes in countries around the globe.

Keynote address by Greg Page, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cargill, discussing cocoa's place in corporate efforts to support sustainability and ensure global food security. Dr. Akinwumi Ayo Adesina, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Federal Republic of Nigeria, will also provide an address about his country's investments in its cocoa sector. Sponsors for the event include: Barry Callebaut; Cargill; Mondelez International; ADM Cocoa; The Hershey Company; Armajaro; Ferrero; Rizek Cacao S.A.S.; and Roig Agro-Cacao, S.A.

MEDIA: Members of the media are encouraged to attend. Advance registration is required. Journalists interested in attending the Partnership Meeting should send an email to [email protected] describing intent to cover the Meeting, including media outlet and contact details.

The Partnership Meeting is the largest of numerous events the World Cocoa Foundation holds each year to advance cocoa sustainability understanding, collaboration and programs. The two-day meeting includes sessions on: measuring biodiversity, soil fertility challenges in West Africa, planting material, cocoa livelihoods, economic development, putting cocoa farming families first, innovations and technologies, new frontiers in chocolate consumption, reforms in the Cote d'Ivoire cocoa sector, future cocoa professionals and the history of cocoa in the Caribbean.



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Business & Economy

Processing & Manufacturing



Nestlé USA Sources 100% Certified Cocoa Beans for NESTLÉ® CRUNCH® BarsBusiness Wire (press release)-May 23, 2013

The Nestlé Cocoa Plan Launches in the United States through Flagship Confections Brand

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NESTLÉ® CRUNCH® lovers can soon enjoy their favorite chocolate bar even more. At the National Confectioners Association’s Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago today, Nestlé USA announced that it will source 100% certified, Nestlé Cocoa Plan cocoa beans for the entire

line of everyday NESTLÉ CRUNCH bars. The Nestlé Cocoa Plan is the company’s global initiative to help improve the lives of cocoa farmers and the quality of their products while also assuring a sustainable cocoa supply for years to come.

“Recent surveys have shown that a growing number of consumers are seeking foods made with responsibly-sourced ingredients”By the end of 2013, Nestlé USA will purchase enough certified Nestlé Cocoa Plan beans to produce the entire line of everyday NESTLÉ CRUNCH bars, the company’s 75 year old flagship confections brand. The beans will be certified by UTZ Certified, an independent organization focused on developing sustainable farming and better opportunities for farmers and their families.

NESTLÉ CRUNCH everyday bars will showcase this distinction on-pack later this summer by featuring the seal of the Nestlé Cocoa Plan, along with expanded messaging on the back panel. There will be no increase in price to retailers and no change to the NESTLÉ CRUNCH bar’s great taste.

“Recent surveys have shown that a growing number of consumers are seeking foods made with responsibly-sourced ingredients,” said Robert Kilmer, President of Confections & Snacks, Nestlé USA. “Actions taken under the Nestlé Cocoa Plan help socially aware consumers feel good about benefitting people and communities in other parts of the world.”

Nestlé USA also announced today a commitment to increase the quantity of Nestlé Cocoa Plan beans purchased each year for its U.S. confections brands. The company’s ultimate goal is to produce its entire confectionery line with Nestlé Cocoa Plan cocoa.

At current growth rates, the supply of cocoa will not be able to keep up with increased global demand. Worldwide cocoa consumption is increasing each year and cocoa farmers are struggling to produce more cocoa from the same land.

The Nestlé Cocoa Plan, first launched globally in 2009, is a $120-million effort to help improve cocoa sustainability and the livelihoods of cocoa farmers through a number of innovative social and economic programs. This includes providing education and training to thousands of farmers and their families; distributing millions of higher-yielding plants; improving infrastructure in farming communities, building or refurbishing schools and addressing and eliminating the use of child labor in the cocoa supply chain.

In addition to the United States, the Nestlé Cocoa Plan has been adopted in several other major Nestlé markets including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ecuador.

ADM Cocoa ensures quality cocoa beansConfectionery Production23 May 2013



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ADM Cocoa continues to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers. The SERAP (Socially and Environmentally Responsible Agricultural Practices) training programme has reached more than 60,000 cocoa farmers throughout Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria and Indonesia.

The programme provided by ADM Cocoa gives training to farmers in four key areas, namely: social, environmental, agricultural practices and group organisation, and in addition offers financial incentives to farmers to produce higher quality beans. While the financial incentives benefit farmers directly, the successful training results in higher quality cocoa end products and therefrom, more effective manufacturing processes. The training is also designed to increase farm productivity with the goal of improving the cocoa yield per hectare in a sustainable way, resulting in more beans of a better quality.

“Since becoming part of the SERAP programme and participating in trainings and implementing Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), I am happy to observe yield improvement, which has not only impacted my income with the premiums that I receive, but has also encouraged me to invest in the future of my land,” says Therese Kumassi. As a member of ADM Cocoa’s partner coop, COOPACA of Amélékia, Kumassi farms cocoa on 1.6 of her 2.2 hectares of land, which has thus far yielded 674 kilograms of cocoa for the 2012/2013 season.

To properly assess bean quality, cocoa farmers are taught to look at four major visual criteria, including clusters, waste, black beans, and foreign material. Cocoa farmers are trained to recognize and eliminate these elements in order to build a foundation for premium products by obtaining only pure and clean cocoa beans.“Monitoring efforts over a five year period (2007-2012) have shown that farmers participating in the SERAP programme have consistently yielded higher quality cocoa beans. For example, cocoa beans from the SERAP programme have on average contained 20 percent less moisture and shown significant reductions in foreign material and in black beans,” says Michiel Hendriksz, ADM Cocoa’s director of sustainability.

SERAP has again taken the lead in reaching independent, non-organised farmers that represent approximately 80 percent of the cocoa farming community in Côte d’Ivoire and live in rural areas that are often deprived of access to other sustainability initiatives. These SERAP training efforts have expanded the reach of the programme beyond the organized farmers belonging to cooperatives that are already benefitting from SERAP or comparable programmes.

CAMEROON: Ferrero eyes Cameroon cocoa developmentjust-food.com (subscription)By Michelle Russell23 May 2013

Italian confectioner Ferrero has said it is looking at development opportunities in Cameroon.

A spokesperson for the company told just-food a Ferrero delegation had visited Cameroon to "analyse and examine" the group's current presence and possible development of activities in the country.

The chocolate firm is planning to build a cocoa grinding plant in Cameroon's south-west region, which accounts for nearly half of the country's yearly cocoa harvest, according to Business in Cameroon.

Besides grinding cocoa beans, the factory will also "transform: tea, coffee, groundnuts, sugar cane, coconuts and tropical fruits", the publication noted.

It will be the second facility for Ferrero in the country. It currently operates one in the capital, Yaoundé.

Ferrero declined to give any specific details of its plans.



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Ferrero International S.A., (Ferrero) is holding company of Ferrero Group. The company together with its subsidiaries manufactures and market chocolates and other confectionery products. Its product portfolio includes chocolates, pralines, wafers, sp...Related articles

Consuming issues - Cocoa's certification challenge

Hershey's commitment to source 100% of its cocoa requirements from third-party-certified sources by 2020 has been broadly welcomed. However, what form that certification will take is unclear and is likely to remain so until the cocoa sector at large agrees sustainability standards and evolves the means to certify a huge amount of cocoa.

Improving rains boost optimism for strong I.Coast cocoaBusiness Recorder (blog)By Muhammad Iqbal20 May 2013

ABIDJAN: Increased rainfall and abundant sunshine across most of Ivory Coast's main growing regions have increased optimism among growers following a turbulent start to mid-crop harvesting, farmers and analysts said on Monday.

While the majority of traders and exporters expect an abundant April-to-September mid-crop, harvesting got off to a slow start after dry, hot conditions at the beginning of the year caused many flowers and small

pods to wither on the trees.

Farmers and exporters complained last week that undersized cocoa beans are hampering purchases, leading some cooperatives to shut down amid violations of the government's guaranteed minimum price for farmers.

They said the bulk of beans harvested failed a government-set maximum bean count the measure of bean size of 120 beans per 100 grammes for export.

Growers on Monday said quality varied from region to region.

In the western region of Soubre, at the heart of the cocoa belt, farmers reported regular rains throughout the week.

"We had at least five showers and sunshine. It's good for the trees. The beans going out now are big. Sometimes we're finding 110 (beans per 100g)," said Lazare Ake, who farms on the outskirts of the town of Soubre.

In the southeastern region of Aboisso, farmers reported four abundant rains mixed with sunshine.



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Labour Issues

Environmental Issues



"It rained a lot here. It's good for the end of the mid-crop. When we look at the plantations, we know there won't be abundant cocoa after June because there are few small pods," said Aboisso farmer Etienne Yao.

"But it won't stop abruptly. There will still be a bit of cocoa until the end of the mid-crop," he said.

Similar growing conditions were reported in the western regions of Duekoue and Gagnoa and in the southern regions of Divo, Agboville and Tiassale.

The centre-western region of Daloa, responsible for around a quarter of Ivory Coast's national output and the western region of Bouafle each saw three abundant showers.

"The soil moisture content is very high right now. We'll have lots of good quality cocoa in June," said Daloa farmer Attoungbre Kouame.

"The cooperatives and lots of farmers haven't gathered as much cocoa as last season. The mid-crop won't be good this year due to the harsh dry season at the beginning of the year," he said.

In Abengourou, along the eastern border with neighbouring Ghana, an analyst reported 73 mm of rainfall, up from 19 mm the previous week. "The heavy rains have started to fall. We hope to have big beans next month," said Abengourou farmer Michel Koffi.

In the coastal region of San Pedro, which had struggled with a lack of rainfall in the early stages of the mid-crop, farmers reported a second straight week of abundant showers. "The trees are recovering their green foliage because the climate has improved. But we're only expecting cocoa around the month of August," said local farmer Labbe Zoungrana.

Cocoa Agreement now binds Cameroon and EuropeBusiness in Cameroon24 May 2013

A partnership agreement between Cameroon cocoa producers and European Cocoa Association was signed last Friday, May 24, in Yaoundé. In details, the document signed by the Cocoa and Coffee Interprofessional Council (CICC) and European industries hinges on information exchange and organization for a brighter future of the cocoa industry.

But, according to Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, Minister of Trade (MINCOMMERCE) who presided over the ceremony, Cameroonians should not expect foreigners to improve the quality of their products.



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Promotion & Consumption

Others

Research & Development



“It was recognized that our cocoa is in good shape. There is certainly room for improvement, but the solution to our problems is indigenous. We must not wait for our buyers to come for us to act,” said the Minister. And these solutions are good agricultural post-harvest practices disseminated daily. MINCOMMERCE also enjoined local processors to move to a higher stage, so that the country no longer depends on European industry, not always willing to sell its best finished products to others.

For Apollinaire Ngwe, Chairman of CICC, each of the 468 producers present understood the merits of not mixing cocoa, not to change the taste of chocolate produced by manufacturers.

“We appreciate Cameroonian cocoa and efforts being made to make it better and better. We want to encourage these initiatives and help where we can”, said Isabelle Adam, Secretary General of the European Cocoa Association (Eca).

But she also insisted on the market requirements of European consumers. In this regard, Ms. Adam announced the setting up in Cameroon of a laboratory for the analysis of pesticide residues tolerated in the European Union.



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COPAL COCOA Info - Alliance of Cocoa Producing …. 545.doc · Web view... -27 2348 2317 1,616 Mar...

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Transcript of COPAL COCOA Info - Alliance of Cocoa Producing …. 545.doc · Web view... -27 2348 2317 1,616 Mar...