Ivory Coast gives cocoa farmers electronic cards to track beans, ensure fair price

A worker of Ivory Coast's cocoa council explains to one of the cocoa farmers the use of the electronic card that will guarantee bean traceability and ensure they are paid a fixed farmgate price for their produce during electronic card distribution in Agboville, Ivory Coast February 2, 2023. REUTERS/Ange Aboa

Ivory Coast's cocoa regulator on Thursday started distributing electronic cards to cocoa farmers to help track beans from plantations to their export ports and ensure the growers are paid a guaranteed price for their produce.

The countrywide exercise is part of a response to plans by the European Union to ban imports of commodities and products linked to deforestation and rights abuses by 2024.