Is Ivory Coast the largest cocoa producer in the world?

Yes, and has been for decades, supplying roughly forty per cent of global output from around a million smallholder farms.

When is the cocoa harvest in Ivory Coast?

The main harvest runs from October to March, with a smaller mid-year crop.

How is cocoa processed?

Pods are cut by hand and split in the field, the wet beans are fermented under banana leaves for five to seven days, then sun-dried on mats for one to two weeks.

Can you visit a cocoa plantation in Ivory Coast?

Yes, local operators offer visits in the cocoa belt around Daloa, Gagnoa, Soubré and San-Pédro, often combined with coffee, pepper and rubber.

Can you buy Ivorian chocolate?

Yes. A small number of Ivorian makers now produce chocolate in the country. Their bars are sold in Abidjan and travel better than raw beans.

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Home · Cocoa

Cocoa in Ivory Coast: from the tree to the chocolate.

Around forty per cent of the world’s cocoa comes from this country, more than anywhere else, and almost nobody eating a chocolate bar in Europe knows it. Cocoa built the ports, the roads and much of the modern country, and it also explains the economic vulnerability that comes with depending on one crop price. This page covers how it is grown and processed, and where you can see it.

Two hands holding dried cocoa beans over a drying mat

Cocoa beans drying

The world’s largest producer

Ivory Coast has been the world’s leading cocoa producer for decades, supplying roughly forty per cent of global output. Around a million smallholder farms grow it, most of them a few hectares, and several million people depend on it directly. The price is set on exchanges in London and New York, not here — which is the whole political story of Ivorian cocoa in one sentence.