Purchases and exports of Ivory Coast cocoa beans fell sharply last week as a lack of rain and strong winds continued to reduce the quality of the crop, traders and farmers said on Tuesday.
Mills which process the beans reduced purchases by 70-80 percent last week, while traders said they bought up to 90 percent less, because the beans were too small and high in acidity, they said.
Sources in Cocoa Barry, Cargill, Sucden, Saf Cacao, Olam and Sourcing Africa said activity was reduced last week, in varing degrees.
Ivory Coast and Ghana's cocoa mid-crops are expected to fall sharply this season due to dry weather and the impact of a severe Harmattan wind on the world's top two growers, the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) said last month.
At the port of San Pedro, only a few trucks were allowed to unload their beans last week after analysis showed many were not fit for export.
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Usually during the main October to March season there are between 90-105 beans per 100 grammes. At the moment it is more like 125, making export impossible, sources said.
"We have closed our plant since last week because the grain count is too high. We cannot do anything, so it is better to wait to see if things change," said Ali Lakiss from Saf Cacao, the largest exporter of beans from San Pedro.
Last week, the Coffee and Cocoa Council had a meeting with exporters about the degradation of beans but no solution has been found.
