The first half of 2024 recorded a 37.4% drop in the volume of national beans received by the cocoa processing industry. There were 58.3 thousand tons received in the period, in contrast to the 93.3 thousand tons received in the first six months of 2023, according to data compiled by SindiDados – Campos Consultores, and released by the National Association of Cocoa Processing Industries (Associação Nacional das Indústrias Processadoras de Cacau (National Association of Cocoa Processing Industries) ( AIPC).

“Since the beginning of 2024, almond receipts have been lower than expected, especially compared to the previous year. The early harvest, which should have started with a more consistent volume in April, was delayed due to weather issues. It is expected that, in the next semester, cocoa inflows will improve”, explains the executive president of AIPC, Anna Paula Losi.

If we compare the volume of receipts in the second quarter of 2024 with the volume of receipts in the same period of the previous year, we had a decline of 39.9%, from 66,038 to 39,663 tons. According to Anna Paula, “Although in the second half of this year we received more than double what was received in the first half, when we compare the volumes with the same period of the previous year, the drop is considerable, which has had a strong impact the supply of cocoa beans on the national market”. 

Import x Export 

Both imports of cocoa beans and exports fell in this first half of the year, falling by 47.7% in imports and 34.9% in exports. Exports of cocoa derivatives remained practically stable, going from 24.7 thousand tons to 22.6 thousand tons. 

Between January and June this year, the imported volume of cocoa beans was 22.5 thousand tons, compared to 43 thousand tons imported in the same period in 2023. Anna Paula states that “we are going through a period of global shortage of cocoa beans. The International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) announced that the global deficit of cocoa beans is expected to exceed 400 thousand tons, impacting all markets, including Brazil. Given this, international cocoa trade continues to be very uncertain.”