BRASILIA, April 27, 2011 - Deliveries of cocoa to warehouses from the main growing regions in Brazil were up 12 percent from a year ago, with just one week left before the 2010/11 season ends, Bahia Commercial Association data showed on Tuesday.
Cocoa deliveries have slowed to a trickle in the lull between the end of the main crop and the start of the forthcoming mid crop which should begin harvesting in May or June depending on the region.
The mid crop in the top cocoa state Bahia is likely to fall about 15 percent from last year's to around 1.1 million 60-kg bags (66,000 tonnes), though output has been climbing in other states and may compensate if the trend continues next season.
Total Brazilian cocoa arrivals, including imports, reached 4 million 60-kg bags from May 1, 2010 to April 24, up 12 percent from the same period of last season, the data showed.
Hartmann said farm gate prices in Bahia were barely changed for a second week at 74-77.00 reais per arroba ($47.34-$49.26) equating to $3,195-$3,260 per tonne. Little business was done due to the Easter holiday and a separate Brazilian bank holiday
last week.
Bahia was forecast to receive light to medium showers in the coming days, Hartmann said.
Source : Reuters
