Ivorian cocoa producers are entering a new stage of their activity by positioning themselves in industrial processing. Gathered within the CADESA cooperative, more than 4,000 farmers have launched the construction of their own processing unit in San Pedro. Estimated at 9.84 billion CFA francs (15 million euros) and carried by CADESA Processing SA, the project is expected to be completed within 24 months. The plant will have an initial capacity of 15,000 tons per year, expandable to 30,000 tons. It is expected to create 110 direct jobs and 250 indirect jobs.
The project was officialized on July 23, 2026 during a groundbreaking ceremony in the presence of government members, local authorities, and the ambassador of the Netherlands. Through this initiative, the cooperative aims to go beyond the marketing of raw beans and develop a processing activity in order to capture a larger share of the value added in the cocoa sector.
This project is part of the Ivorian authorities’ objective to process 50% of the national cocoa production by 2030, within the framework of the 2026-2030 National Development Plan. According to representatives from the Ministry of Commerce present on site, this plant should contribute to the local economic activity, job creation, and improvement of farmers’ incomes, while strengthening the country’s industrial capacities.
Supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands through the Cocoa Tech project of Ivory Coast, the project is part of the cooperation between the two countries in the development of the cocoa sector and skills transfer. The Dutch ambassador, Jeroen Kelderhuis, emphasized that his country remains the largest importer of Ivorian cocoa and highlighted the importance of developing some of the processing in Ivory Coast. For the project partners, supporting local cooperatives should allow for a better distribution of economic benefits for the producers.
