Moving up the Cocoa value chain-Ivory Coast

Africa Good News reports:

courtesy of AGN

Ivory Coast is on track to become the world's top cocoa grinder in the next few years as the West African state seeks more value from its raw materials exports.Investments in cocoa processing facilities in the country, already the No. 1 grower of the main ingredient in chocolate, have pushed its share of the global grind up sharply since 2008 and could allow it to overtake the Netherlands for the top spot as early as next season."We're the world's biggest cocoa producer. We will also be the world's biggest grinder," said Ali Lakis, the director of cocoa export firm SAF Cacao, which handled a fifth of the beans arriving at the port of San Pedro so far this season...[continue reading]