ABIDJAN, 17 February 2011 (IRIN): An embargo on (forbud mod) the export of cocoa beans in Ivory Coast is curbing income for the West African countrys 900.000 growers, the latest to be caught in the crossfire of the ongoing political turmoil (tumult) in the former French colony.
Presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara on 23 January called for a month-long ban on cocoa exports, one of several tactics being deployed by his internationally recognized government to increase pressure on President Laurent Gbagbo, who refuses to quit office even though he lost the last election.
Analysts say most of the estimated 120 million US dollar needed to run a skeleton economy (holde landet kørende på et minimum) – paying salaries at the expense of infrastructure and development – usually comes from the key sectors of cocoa and petroleum.
Cocoa brought in 1 billion dollar in foreign exchange receipts in 2006, versus 1,3 billion from oil and other refined products, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
About six million Ivoirians rely on cocoa production to survive. The country exported 1,2 million tons last year, roughly 40 percent of global supply, according to the International Cocoa Organization (ICC).
But as the Ivoirian economy continues to be hit by political turbulence, any targeted financial measures will require a delicate balancing act to avoid squeezing (presse) vulnerable farmers.
Many growers said they support the ban, but remained anxious about how long it would last. Although the main cocoa harvest is collected from September to March, another smaller crop is gathered between March and August.
– The majority of us are smallholders (småbønder) from the north or centre of the country. These are the people who feel the ban is all part of the process of a revolution, Maurice Savadogo, a cocoa farmer in the eastern town of Abengourou, told IRIN.
Ouattara’s popular support is strongest in the north of the country. His November win was the result of an alliance with former president Henri Konan Bédié, who garnered (skaffede) large pockets of votes in central-eastern regions of the country.
– But if the ban is extended until March, things will be enormously difficult for us. At the end of the day we are just planters; we feel very vulnerable, Savadogo said.
Latest headache
Gbagbo’s government has described the ban as an attempt by Ouattara’s government to illegally impede (standse) growth in a vital industry where production is on the rise.
– Forecasts for this season’s harvest could top 1,2 million tons, Gbagbo spokesperson Ahoua Don Mello noted, saying Ouattara’s request to ban cocoa exports was “disastrous”.
The current financial squeeze means growers have not been able to benefit from the tail end of a bumper (rekordagtige) crop forecast this year. Cocoa beans registered for export at the country’s ports were up 16 percent year-on-year, reaching 905.000 tons in the week ending 30 January, figures from the cocoa and coffee board (BCC) show.
– Growing conditions this year have been ideal for a good harvest, farmer Blaise Ouraga from the western growing belt of San Pedro told IRIN.
– But the cost of fertilizers and weed-killers (ukrudtmidler) is unaffordable for us these days. And that is not surprising when you see that the cost of transport, food, everything has gone up in the last couple of months. A ban is the latest headache, he noted sadly.
Black market
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