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Virus-Induced Jute Bag Shortage Endangers Nigerian Cocoa Exports

  • Nigeria relies on jute bag imports from India and Bangladesh
  • Buyers insist on cocoa packaging in hydrocarbon-free jute bags
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Photographer: Sia Kambou/AFP/Getty Images

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Nigerian cocoa exporters, which rely on imported jute bags to package their beans, are facing a shortage after production in India and Bangladesh slowed due to a surge in coronavirus cases and factory closures.

International buyers insist on packaging in hydrocarbon-free jute bags to preserve the beans’ quality. Nigeria, which doesn’t produce bags locally, relies on imports from the two South Asian nations, which have been badly hit by the outbreak.