ABIDJAN, Jan 30 (Reuters) – Ivory Coast exported 701,034 tonnes of natural rubber in 2017, up more than 31 percent from the previous year, provisional port data showed on Tuesday.
Ivory Coast, the world’s top cocoa producer, is also the leading producer of natural rubber in Africa. Exports have risen in recent years as farmers, lured by the promise of a more stable income, are increasingly switching away from volatile cocoa.
The following are port export figures in tonnes:
Dec 2017 Nov 2017 Dec 2016 Abidjan 61,119 48,350 39,476 San Pedro 23,937 24,135 22,533 Total 85,056 72,485 62,009 Cumulative from Jan 701,034 615,978 533,913
NOTE: December data for Abidjan is provisional and subject to revision.