A recent study conducted by researchers from Belgium has revealed that unregulated cocoa production in Cote d Ivoire is responsible for 45% of the deforestation in the West African country between 2000 and 2019.
Ivory Coast's cocoa board has allocated 161,000 tonnes of international contracts to local exporters this season, half as much as envisaged under a government decree to support local players, the regulator's chief said on Friday.