Likouala opens 2025-2026 cocoa campaign
The 2025-2026 commercial cocoa season officially opened in Impfondo on 27 October, drawing growers, buyers and officials into the shaded courtyard of the prefecture. Prefect Jean Pascal Koumba used the moment to urge producers to “keep the momentum alive” for the department’s prosperity.
His call came during the launch ceremony of the merchant-purchase campaign, the key programme through which licensed traders buy beans directly from farmers before export. By affirming an attractive farm-gate price and punctual payment, authorities want to anchor cocoa as Likouala’s second growth engine after forestry.
Stable farm-gate price lifts household income
Following consultations among the departmental council, the agriculture and trade directorates, local cooperatives and private operators, the price per kilo has been set at 2,300 CFA francs, roughly 3.7 US dollars. The figure matches last season’s record level, offering growers precious visibility on income.
“We asked for predictability; the administration listened,” smiled Jacques Mobemba, a young planter from Betou who attended the ceremony. He estimates that at the announced rate, a well-maintained hectare could bring in up to 700,000 francs this year, enough to pay school fees and hire labour.
The prefect underlined that the fixed price applies equally to all approved weighing sites from Impfondo to Liranga. To curb illicit deductions, a joint inspection team will patrol buying posts, and growers have been urged to demand calibrated scales and official receipts for each delivery.
Partnerships strengthen value chain logistics
Departmental agriculture director Ekonambou described the campaign as “a milestone for regional agribusiness.” He said that nine licensed buyers have already pre-positioned cash and jute bags in river ports. Their presence, he added, will shorten payment delays that previously discouraged family farms.
Transport operator Messageries fluviales announced the allocation of weekly barges dedicated to cocoa, guaranteeing that produce reaches Pointe-Noire’s export warehouses within ten days. The shipping window is critical because beans lose weight and quality if they remain on riverbanks during the seasonal rains.
On the industrial side, local start-up Likouala Choco is experimenting with small-batch fermentation units that could keep more value within the department. Its founder, Stéphane Loukaya, revealed informal talks with caterers in Brazzaville who want single-origin cocoa paste for pastries and ice-cream.
An agreement signed during the launch will see the National Cocoa and Coffee Office post agronomists in each district for eighteen months to coach farmers on grafting, pest control and record keeping.
Government support tackles financing and power
Under the National Development Plan 2022-2026, agriculture is slated to contribute 10 percent to GDP, up from today’s six percent. The Ministry of Agriculture has earmarked improved seedlings, pruning tools and training sessions for 600 Likouala farmers, complementing efforts by the prefecture.
Congo-Brazzaville’s Commodity Price Stabilisation Fund has renewed its guarantee scheme that cushions cooperatives against sudden global price swings. “Should futures fall, the treasury stands ready to intervene so farmers continue receiving 2,300 francs,” assured regional commerce controller Marie-Josée Mvoula.
Infrastructure remains a challenge. The road linking Impfondo to the Sangha border is still unpaved across several marshy stretches, limiting truckloads to four tonnes. However, the Public Works Department confirmed that gravel resurfacing will begin in November, targeting the most battered 30-kilometre segment.
The African Development Bank is co-financing a 3.5-billion-franc rural electrification scheme that will extend mini-grids to five cocoa clusters, enabling mechanical dryers, reducing smoke taint and nudging local beans toward premium certification.
Producers embrace innovation yet stay vigilant
In the village of Loundoungou, elder planter Anastasie Bitala welcomed the renewed political attention yet warned against complacency. “Good speeches must translate into field visits,” she told our reporter by phone. She hopes agronomists will advise on black-pod disease that damaged pods last July.
Youth groups see opportunity beyond farming itself. The Likouala Digital Collective plans to deploy a mobile app that tracks humidity inside drying sheds, sending alerts when beans need turning. The prototype, built with open-source sensors, won a start-up weekend organised by the prefecture in August.
For traders, risk management is equally critical. Local buyer Sodecatex has installed solar-powered CCTV at its Impfondo depot after thefts last season. “Security reassures banks that pre-finance our purchases,” manager Victor Argoulet explained, noting that his firm aims to double volumes to 1,200 tonnes.
Weather outlook shapes harvest expectations
Meteorological services predict regular rainfall from March to June 2025, a pattern favourable to flowering. Agronomist Esther Mbon detailed that sustained moisture must be matched with pruning to allow sunlight inside tree canopies, otherwise fungal spores may thrive. Tutorial sessions are scheduled for February.
Prefect Koumba concluded the launch by breaking a symbolic cocoa pod and sharing beans with attendees, a gesture he described as “a pact of confidence between the administration and those who feed the nation.” As the boats departed, farmers voiced hope that the pact holds.