World’s largest cocoa producer, Ivory Coast, worry over new US tariffs

Cocoa bean plantations guarantee the livelihoods of almost the entire village of N’gattakro in central Ivory Coast.

The “brown gold,” as cocoa is called in Ivory Coast, is crucial for survival in this village, with an estimated 6 million people relying on farming and harvesting cocoa for their livelihoods.

However, farmers worry that they might not be able to sell enough of their produce due to the looming effects of the 21% tariffs on Ivory Coast exports to the United States, imposed by US President Donald Trump in early April.

Salif Traoré, a cocoa farmer, explains, “The price isn’t good. If we hear the American president has put a tax on the price of cocoa, it’s really not good for us; it doesn’t help us.”

Cocoa is Ivory Coast’s main export to the United States.

1. Like Traoré, many farmers are confused by the tariff news during an already difficult season due to unfavorable weather conditions.

“You see, this stockroom is full. Donald Trump’s customs tax is causing us problems. Because of this, people can’t buy our products. We’re already feeling the effects, so if there’s a solution to this problem, we’d be happy,” says Boss Diarra, cocoa farmers union coordinator.

Ahead of Ghana, Ivory Coast is the world’s largest cocoa producer.

Selling the precious beans makes up between 15% and 20% of the country’s GDP.

The situation also worries the government about the effects of Washington’s new trade policy.

“We are affected because about 4% of our trade takes place with the United States. This mainly concerns cocoa, rubber, and a little cashew,” says Amadou Coulibaly, government spokesperson.

On April 11, US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on some tariffs, but a new universal 10% tariff will still apply.

“We must first try to see what new outlets we can find for our products to compensate for this loss,” Coulibaly continued.

While Ivory Coast could turn more extensively to European consumers, global demand for chocolate has stagnated in recent years.

Meanwhile, cocoa prices have repeatedly increased due to climate change, causing insufficient rainfall and a disappointing harvest last year.

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