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

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - 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.