Ivory Coast 2019/20 Q2 cocoa grind up 4.4pc by end March

• Grinders processed 47,000 tonnes of beans in March, up from 44,000 tonnes in the same period the previous year.
• The country is the world's top cocoa producer and vies with the Netherlands for the spot of leading grinder.

ABIDJAN: Ivory Coast cocoa grinders processed 282,000 tonnes of beans by the end of March, up from 270,000 tonnes the previous season, data from exporters' association GEPEX showed on Wednesday.

Grinders processed 47,000 tonnes of beans in March, up from 44,000 tonnes in the same period the previous year.

Ivory Coast's 2019/20 season Q2 (October to March) grind reached 282,000 tonnes, up from 270,000 tonnes a year before.

The GEPEX data only covers six of the largest grinding companies, including Barry Callebaut, Olam International Ltd and Cargill Inc, among 12 active firms.

Ivory Coast has total grinding capacity of 712,000 tonnes.

The country is the world's top cocoa producer and vies with the Netherlands for the spot of leading grinder.