Ivory Coast's cocoa production hit a record 1.48 million tonnes in 2010-2011, with favourable weather conditions wiping out the effects of a damaging political crisis, authorities said Monday.
The output as of September 25 was more than 25 percent higher than in 2010, Massandje Toure-Litse, head of the state cocoa management committee, said at a meeting to mark the opening of the 2011-2012 season.
She said that the market had expected a slump in the world's top cocoa producer, but instead the export of beans in 2011 totalled 1.417 million tonnes, as against 1.2 million in 2010.
Control of the cocoa industry was hotly disputed between outgoing president Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to step down in the wake of the November 2010 vote, and his rival Alassane Ouattara, who was finally sworn as president in May.
Ouattara, whose victory was internationally recognised, persuaded major world chocolate-makers to boycott Ivorian cocoa until he took power, then helped to dispose of accumulated stocks through tax relief.
Ivory Coast has about 35 percent of the world cocoa market, and cocoa and coffee account for 40 percent of its export revenue and 20 percent of its gross national product.
Toure-Litse's committee said it would concentrate on training farmers to improve quality and quantity of output.
Ivory Coast cocoa output hits record despite crisis
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by Ebenezer on 12th Nov, 2011 at 06:12PM