The mid-crop in the top cocoa state of Bahia is likely to fall about 15 percent from last year to around 1.1 million 60-kg bags (66,000 tonnes), according to some estimates, cocoa analyst Thomas Hartmann said in a weekly crop update.
But other states such as Para have seen a steady rise in output, boosted by government sponsorship of family farming programs focused on cocoa which may help offset this drop, if their output continues to rise.
Hartmann said the mid-crop may not kick in in Bahia until mid-June, though Para would probably be harvesting by mid-May.
Total Brazilian cocoa arrivals, including imports, reached 3.99 million 60-kg bags from May 1, 2010 to April 17, up 15 percent from the same period of last season, data from the Bahia Commercial Association showed.
Hartmann said farm gate prices in Bahia were barely changed in the last week versus the previous at 75-77.00 reais per arroba (US$47.77-$49.05), equating to $3,175-$3,260 per tonne.-----
