Ivory Coast cocoa delay raises port congestion fears ahead of EU deadline

Ivory Coast's cocoa regulator is worried that a delayed start to the 2026/27 main crop could lead to port congestion, as exporters scramble to ship beans before stricter European Union deforestation rules take effect at the end of the year.

The Coffee and Cocoa Council, which regulates the world's largest cocoa-producing country, said last week it was prepared for the new regulations. However, two council sources and five exporters told reporters this week that they expect bottlenecks at the ports of Abidjan and San Pedro in November and December, potentially straining storage capacity.

The delay is attributed to a combination of difficult weather, poor farm maintenance, and a strong mid-crop that slowed the main crop's development. One source estimated the main crop could be delayed by eight to ten weeks.

"With this looming delay, we will find ourselves having to export enormous quantities in a short period in December," said an executive at a European export company in Abidjan. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

While the main season officially begins on September 1, weekly arrivals are expected to stay below 15,000 metric tons in September and 25,000 tons in October. Main-crop volumes are projected to start arriving in late October or early November, increasing through December.

The council forecasts total main-crop arrivals, from September through February 28, 2027, at no more than 1.4 million tons, while exporters estimate between 1.4 million and 1.45 million tons. About 900,000 tons are expected to reach Ivorian ports between October and December 2026, compared with an updated 1.1 million tons during the same period in 2025. Typically, ports receive 800,000 to 1 million tons over those three months.

A council official said the body would do everything possible to minimise the impact of the delay.