IVORY COAST: TALKS UNDERWAY AS IVORY COAST BURN COCOA AND BLOCK COCOA DELIVERIES IN A STRIKE OVER LOW PRICES

Record ID: 183582

  • Title: IVORY COAST: TALKS UNDERWAY AS IVORY COAST BURN COCOA AND BLOCK COCOA DELIVERIES IN A STRIKE OVER LOW PRICES
  • Date: 18th October 2004
  • Summary: (W1) ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (OCTOBER 18, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. SV OF PROTESTING FARMERS UNLOADING COCOA FROM TRUCKS IN ABIDJAN HARBOUR (3 SHOTS) 0.09 2. SV PROTESTERS SETTING COCOA BEANS ON FIRE 0.12 3. SLV COCOA BEANS BURNING 0.16 4. SV FARMER WATCHING COCOA BEANS BURNING 0.19 5. CU/SLV CLOSE OF COCOA BEANS BURNING (2 SHOTS) 0.29 6. MCU (French) JEAN-BAPTISTE KAKOU, COCOA FARMER SAYING: "We were forced to go back to the land to make a living and we created the plantations. Today we can't sell our cocoa, we don't have access to healthcare and we can't send our children to school." 0.38 (W1) ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (OCTOBER 19, 2004) (REUTERS) 7. SLV/CU OF CLOSED WAREHOUSES (2 SHOTS) 0.44 8. LV ABIDJAN STREET 0.50 9. SLV CLOSED WAREHOUSES (2 SHOTS) 0.57 10. SLV LORRIES DRIVING WITH EMPTY TRAILERS INTO ABIDJAN PORT (2 SHOTS) 1.07 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 2nd November 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Reuters ID: LVA5G1Z8PA4OSBIUOILDO7LG3QKC
  • Story Text: Talks underway as Ivory Coast farmers burn cocoa and
    block cocoa deliveries in a strike over low prices.



    Cocoa farmers in Ivory Coast on have held talks with
    the government in a bid to end a three-day growers' strike
    which has halted deliveries of cocoa beans in the world's
    top producer.

    And in a symbolic gesture the farmers have been burning
    cocoa beans, unloaded from trucks in Abidjan harbour.

    Major exporters were closed on Wednesday (October 20)
    at the demand of farmers who want a higher farmgate price
    and because roadblocks in cocoa growing regions around the
    West African country were preventing lorries with beans
    from reaching warehouses.

    Farmers's unions were meeting representatives from the
    economy and finance ministry and the cocoa industry
    Regulatory and Control Fund (FRC), after rejecting an offer
    of 10 billion CFA francs ($19 million) to fund
    cooperatives.

    Cocoa farmers in Ivory Coast went on strike on Monday
    (October 18) saying the indicative minimum farmgate price
    of 390 CFA francs ($0.74) set last week for the 2004/05
    season was too low.

    And there's no sign of an end to the stoppage.

    One cocoa farmer, Jean-Baptiste Kakou, said, "We were
    forced to go back to the land to make a living and we
    created the plantations. Today we can't sell our cocoa, we
    don't have access to healthcare and we can't send our
    children to school."
    Exporters and buyers have said while the farmers' strike
    may disrupt deliveries initially, they expect growers to
    crack and sell their beans when they need cash. Farmers
    hope buyers will raise bids when they need to meet delivery
    contracts.

    Around the former French colony, roadblocks were still
    in place and cocoa was burned in protest.

    Farmers were also stopping lorries in some areas
    carrying fruit and vegetables to the main city Abidjan,
    saying it would give them more leverage in negotiations by
    increasing pressure on the government.



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