Côte d'Ivoire

Côte d'Ivoire is the world's largest cacao producer and exporter, supplying roughly 40 percent of global output — about 2.0-2.2 million tonnes in recent years. Commercial cultivation expanded through the twentieth century as a cocoa pioneer front moved westward across the southern forest; after independence in 1960 the opening of forest land and active state encouragement drove rapid growth, and the country overtook Ghana as the leading producer in 1978.

Production is spread across the southern forest belt, with major zones around San-Pédro, Daloa, Soubré and Abengourou, farmed by a very large number of smallholders. The crop descends largely from a narrow Amelonado (West African Forastero) founder stock, increasingly interplanted with higher-yielding Upper-Amazon hybrid varieties; cotyledons are typically dark purple.

Ivorian cacao is the archetypal bulk bean — valued for volume and dependable, plain cocoa character with low acidity rather than aromatic distinctiveness — and the bulk of it is exported unprocessed. The sector faces sustained scrutiny over deforestation, with large areas of forest converted to cacao, and over farm incomes, child labour and ageing tree stocks; traceability and reform programmes are ongoing.