Cocoa prices fall as drought delays purchases

August 25, 2016 6:10 AM

Below are the average farmgate prices in CFA francs per kg recorded throughout the growing regions

A worker dries cocoa beans at a village in N'Douci, Ivory Coast, November 27, 2015. REUTERS/Luc Gnago

Cameroon farmgate cocoa prices fell in August as major buying was delayed by drought in some regions, farmers said on Wednesday.

Prices ranged from 1,000 CFA francs ($1.72) per kilogramme of cocoa in the southwest to 1,200 CFA francs in the centre of the central African country, producers said, down from prices as high as 1,700 CFA in July.

"The crops are lagging behind because of a long drought," said southwest cocoa producer Andrew Nya.

Cameroon's cocoa season runs from Aug. 1 to July 1, with a main harvest cycle from October to January/February and a light crop harvest period from April/May to June/July.

Below are the average farmgate prices in CFA francs per kg recorded throughout the growing regions:

Region District Price (in Price (in

CFA CFA

francs) francs)

per kg in per kg in

July August

Southwest Mamfe 1450 1050

Konye 1400 1050

Muyuka 1400 1000

Koumba 1400 1100

Centre Mbalmayo 1700 1150

Emana 1700 1200