Ivory Coast cocoa traceability stalls before EU law
Just 48% of Ivorian cocoa is traceable to farms as the EU prepares to enforce anti-deforestation rules. Indirect supply chains hinder compliance for the top producer.
Ivory Coast cocoa traceability stalled at 48% as the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) deadline approaches from December. The non-profit Trase reported Tuesday that figures have not improved in two years despite looming trade requirements. Only 48% of the 2024 cocoa harvest is traceable to specific farming cooperatives, according to Trase data.
### Traceability Gaps Threaten EU Market Access The remaining supply chain relies on indirect intermediaries, making it difficult for importers to prove beans were not grown on deforested land. Under EUDR, EU importers must trace their raw materials back to the plot on which they were grown. Trase analysts said the lack of visibility prevents companies from addressing child labor and environmental degradation. Ivory Coast produces 33% of global cocoa supplies, yet 79% of its forests were lost or degraded between 2000 and 2024. Cocoa expansion caused nearly half of that forest loss during the period.
