Ivory Coast, the world’s leading cocoa producer, may introduce measures that could increase cocoa prices if proposed U.S. tariffs go into effect, the country’s agriculture minister warned on Thursday.
The warning follows a recent announcement by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration of a 21% tariff on Ivorian cocoa — the highest in West Africa — as part of a broader set of trade penalties targeting multiple countries. Although Trump has since paused the tariffs for 90 days, concern remains high in Abidjan.
Speaking to reporters, Agriculture Minister Kobenan Kouassi Adjoumani urged Washington to reconsider the decision.
“When you tax our product that we export to your country, we will increase the price of cocoa, and that will have a repercussion on the price to the consumer,” said Kouassi.
While he did not specify the exact countermeasures, experts suggest that Ivory Coast could raise export duties on cocoa to offset the financial impact, indirectly making the commodity more expensive for international buyers — particularly American consumers.
“It’s the end consumer who will be harmed,” Kouassi added.
Each year, the West African nation exports between 200,000 and 300,000 metric tons of cocoa to the United States, according to the Coffee and Cocoa Council (CCC).
In a strategic pivot, Kouassi also stated that Ivory Coast would seek to strengthen trade ties with the European Union, noting that “if our products are not accepted in the United States, the EU can recover all of them.”
The looming trade tensions highlight the fragility of global commodity markets and the potential ripple effects of tariff disputes on everyday consumer goods like chocolate.