The World's Top Exporters Of Cocoa Beans

Cocoa beans are the nuts of the Theobroma cacao tree that have been dried and thoroughly fermented. These seeds are used to extract cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

Cacao trees are native to the Americas, with their origins in Central America and portions of Mexico. West African countries, on the other hand, now produce over 70% of the world’s cocoa.

Cocoa beans are the 443rd most traded commodity in the world, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC).

The value of the cocoa bean export market was estimated to be $4.74 billion in 2016. According to export value, the top five cocoa bean exporting nations in 2016 are detailed in the following report.

Leading Cocoa Bean Exporters By Export Value In 2016

Table of Contents

Ghana

Ghana’s main cash crop is cocoa, which is also the country’s largest agricultural export. Ghana is the world’s second-largest cocoa producer, after only the Ivory Coast. The Cocoa Marketing Board, which is controlled by the Ghanaian government, is in charge of the cocoa industry.

Cocoa is grown in Ghana’s wooded regions, such as the Ashanti, Central, Brong-Ahafo, and Volta. Cocoa beans are dried and fermented after harvesting and sent to nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United States for processing.

Ghana’s cocoa bean exports were $1.89 billion in 2016, accounting for 39% of the worldwide market.

Ecuador

Ecuador is well-known for its high-quality cocoa beans. The country produces Arriba or Nacional cocoa beans, which are a distinct local kind.

Cacao beans have particular fragrances and tastes that set them apart from those produced in other nations, and they sell for a greater price on the market. Ecuador produces just approximately 4% of the world’s cocoa beans, yet this amount accounts for over 70% of the exquisite taste variation.

Ecuador’s cocoa bean exports were valued at roughly $621 million in 2016, making it the world’s second-biggest exporter of the commodity by value.

Also Read: The Top Cocoa-Producing Countries

Read Also: The Top cocoa-producing Countries

Belgium

The second-largest cocoa hub in the world is in Antwerp, which is in Belgium. The country buys cocoa beans directly from producers, with the Ivory Coast and Ghana being the two largest sources. Part of the cocoa beans is used in the country’s chocolate-making industry, while the remainder is sold to other countries.

Germany, France, Austria, and the Netherlands are the main importers of Belgian cocoa beans. Belgium’s cocoa bean exports were $613 million in 2016, accounting for 13% of the worldwide market share.

The Netherlands

In 2016, the Netherlands was the fourth biggest exporter of cocoa beans in terms of export value, with a revenue of $439 million. The Netherlands is the world’s biggest importer of the substance, with Amsterdam housing the world’s largest cocoa port.

The Netherlands converts cocoa beans into chocolate and other semi-finished goods such as cocoa powder and cocoa butter, then re-exports the surplus to Germany and Belgium.

Malaysia

Malaysia is Asia’s and Oceania’s major cocoa processor, and the world’s fifth-biggest. Malaysia imports the majority of its cocoa beans since the country’s production is insufficient for the country’s vast processing industry.

Papua New Guinea is the country’s leading supplier. The nation exports completed goods like cocoa powder and chocolate, as well as semi-fished items like partly defatted cocoa paste and extra dry beans, after processing the cocoa beans.

In 2016, the nation exported $276 million worth of cocoa beans, making it the world’s fifth-biggest exporter.