Cocoa Piles Up at Ivory Coast Ports as Buyers Face Cash Shortage

Ivory Coast is facing a temporary glut of cocoa at its ports as farmers rush to find buyers due to falling international prices and a cash crunch affecting local exporters.

Ports at Abidjan, the commercial hub, and San Pedro have been clogged with truckloads of cocoa for the last three weeks as middlemen arrive with beans looking for buyers, according to people familiar with the matter. The surge has lifted weekly cocoa bean arrivals above 100,000 tons recently, higher than usual this time of year.