RI's cocoa output may be 325,000 tons

RI's cocoa output may be 325,000 tons

WASHINGTON (Reuter): The U.S. agriculture attache in Ivory Coast raised the forecast for the country's 1996-97 cocoa crop to 1.10 million tons, the U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) said over the weekend.

The attache in Jakarta raised the forecast for Indonesian cocoa production to 325,000 tons, the USDA said in a circular on tropical products.

The forecast for Brazil's 1996-97 production was unchanged at 198,000 tons.

The USDA said the Ivory Coast forecast was raised from an earlier 1.05 million tons because of improved prospects for the mid-crop. The main crop again was forecast at 900,000 tons.

The forecast for exports of cocoa and cocoa products in 1996- 97 was raised to 1.21 million tons from 1.08 million tons because of higher carryover from last season.

Indonesia's forecast was raised 16 percent from a previous estimate of 280,000 tons because of an increase in bearing trees and a larger-than-expected expansion in cocoa area.

USDA also raised its estimate of the 1995-96 crop to 305,000 tons from previous 275,000 tons.

Indonesian exports of cocoa and cocoa products in 1996-97 were forecast at 288,500 tons for Indonesia, including about 230,000 tons of cocoa beans.

Brazil was forecast to import 2,600 tons of cocoa and cocoa products in the 1996-97 season, which began October 1.