Adama Koné editorial: The challenge of 1,200 CFA francs for cocoa

For the first time in decades, or at least in a highly unusual reversal, coffee is fetching more than cocoa in Côte d’Ivoire. The change is more than a curiosity in commodity prices. It signals a shift in the fortunes of the country’s two major agricultural sectors.

Coffee is now sold at 1,300 CFA francs per kilogram, while cocoa is priced at 1,200 CFA francs. The prices apply from September 1, 2026, for the 2026-2027 main coffee and cocoa season.

The difference recalls the early years after independence, when coffee also commanded the higher price. In 1960, coffee sold for 90 CFA francs against 85 for cocoa. The gap continued in 1961, at 75 against 55, and in 1963 and 1964, at 90 against 70.

The current prices send a clear incentive to deliver coffee, the editorial says. That is not necessarily a bad development given the continued decline in coffee production. Cocoa remains the flagship agricultural product of Côte d’Ivoire’s economy, but its lower official price has changed the balance between the two sectors.