Côte d'Ivoire: Four Buyers Arrested for Failing to Respect Farm-Gate Prices for Coffee and Cocoa

Biankouma, Côte d’Ivoire — Four buyers were arrested in Biankouma for failing to respect the officially set farm-gate prices for the 2025–2026 coffee-cocoa season. The operation was carried out on 1 December in the localities of Tokpaléou, Ghenne and Gbonne, following field inspections by the authorities and teams from the Coffee-Cocoa Council (CCC).

According to the information gathered, the suspects were offering producers prices below the regulated rates, in breach of the provisions set by the government. At the launch of the season, President Alassane Ouattara had set the minimum prices at CFA 2,800 per kilogram for cocoa and CFA 1,700 for coffee.

Besides ignoring the prices, some buyers are reported to take between two and five kilograms per sack after weighing, a fraudulent practice aimed at reducing the volume paid to producers. These practices breach Decree No. 2012-1008, which governs transactions in the sector.

The four individuals were taken to the Biankouma gendarmerie brigade for further judicial proceedings. In an official note, the Coffee-Cocoa Council recalled that such offences carry severe penalties, including the obligation to pay producers the amount owed, seizure or confiscation of improperly purchased produce, and temporary withdrawal of the buyer's licence for up to three years.

The CCC urges producers to report any case of farm-gate prices not being respected, stressing that the stability of the sector depends on strict compliance with the established rules. The institution says it reaffirms its determination to protect planters' incomes and to guarantee transparent transactions throughout the 2025–2026 season.