Where and when cocoa grows
West Africa has two harvests: the main crop from October to March, which is the larger one, and the mid-crop from April to September. Ecuador, one of the fastest-growing producers, harvests mainly from March to July.
Yields depend on rain at the right time, sunshine for pod setting, and on tree health: ageing farms and cocoa swollen shoot virus have reduced output in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana.
Reports and data that move the market
- Ivorian port arrivals, estimated weekly by exporters
- Quarterly grindings from Europe (ECA), North America (NCA) and Asia (CAA), a gauge of demand
- International Cocoa Organization quarterly bulletin
- Farmgate prices set by Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana each season
- ICE certified cocoa stocks
Weather windows to watch
The strength of the dry Harmattan wind from December to March, rainfall in the April–July rainy season that sets the mid-crop and next main crop, and spells of excessive rain that spread black pod disease.
Following cocoa in Kommody
Kommody weights weather by cocoa area in each producing region of West Africa and Latin America, tracks speculator positioning in ICE cocoa from the CFTC report, scores cocoa news for sentiment and lists grindings and other releases in the calendar.
Frequently asked questions
- Which country produces the most cocoa?
- Côte d'Ivoire, with around 40% of world production, followed by Ghana.
- What are cocoa grindings?
- The amount of cocoa beans processed by grinders in a quarter, reported by region. They are the main indicator of cocoa demand.