 The Ivory Coast accounts for 40% of global cocoa production |
World cocoa prices have dropped back after production in the Ivory Coast resumed following several days of unrest and mob violence. Cocoa exporters said that operations were back to normal in the West African country, which accounts for 40% of global production.
Dozens of people were killed and hundreds injured in recent rioting, which hit cocoa exports.
On Friday, cocoa futures were expected to open $15 lower to $20 in New York.
Supplies hit
Violence erupted on Saturday across the Ivory Coast, with foreigners targeted, after French troops destroyed five of the Ivorian air forces' aircraft following a bombing raid which claimed the lives of nine French peacekeepers.
This led to huge anti-French protests and violence in the main city, Abidjan, and hurried plans to fly out thousands of Europeans.
Cocoa prices leapt 20% in a week on fears of supply disruption, but are now slipping back from three-month highs.
"Everything is normal. All the roads have been opened up and the trucks are flowing into the port," said one US exporter based in Abidjan.
"We've even got more than we can cope with."
However, industry experts warned that cocoa prices were still vulnerable to spikes should any further unrest break out on the Ivory Coast.
The cocoa industry employs 600,000 Ivorians and produces about 1.2 million tonnes a year.
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