Ivory Coast cocoa sellers struggle to use new traceability system

 Ivorian cocoa traders, cooperatives ​and buying agents are struggling to use a new national traceability system introduced ahead ‌of incoming European Union rules banning imports of commodities grown on recently deforested land.

The West African nation exports around 70% of its cocoa to Europe and exporters said problems with the system could slow purchases and deliveries at ​the start of the 2026/27 season, raising the risk of supply disruptions through October and ​November.

Ivory Coast produces about 40% of the world’s cocoa and major or sustained ⁠disruptions to its exports can move world cocoa prices , .

The EU’s anti-deforestation regulation will apply from January ​1, 2027 and requires commodities such as cocoa to be fully traceable to their origin.

The sector regulator has ​mandated that from the 2026/27 season start on September 1, all cocoa purchases be conducted using an electronic producer card.

The card is designed to ensure cocoa can be tracked through the supply chain and verified as meeting the ​EU’s sustainability requirements.

“The Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC) has been raising awareness of the new system since ​March, but we are realising today that people are still surprised and know nothing about how to use digital ‌tools,” said ⁠a director of an Abidjan-based European export company.

“The main issue is that buyers, cooperatives and field agents have not yet mastered the new digital purchasing and traceability tools,” said a director at a European export company in Abidjan.

Exporters said many cooperatives and agents had yet to receive the equipment, slowing ​deals in rural cocoa-growing ​areas.

“Our suppliers lack payment ⁠terminals, bags, and seals to carry out purchases in rural areas. The CCC has not provided all the necessary equipment, and this is extending purchasing ​times and delaying deliveries,” added the director of another European export company ​in Abidjan.

The CCC ⁠said it had completed setting up payment terminals and was distributing equipment according to the previous season’s purchase volumes. It said it had bought 20,000 new terminals.

CCC Director Yves Brahima Kone acknowledged some difficulties, ⁠but said ​they were not serious.

“Even though things are moving slowly for ​now, we expect purchases to pick up over time, and we’ll work through any issues that come up… It’ll take a ​few months, but we’ll get there.”