Cocoa received by the industry grew 63.4% in the first half of the year.

After two years marked by a shortage of raw materials, data from the first half of 2026 indicate an improvement in cocoa supply compared to the previous two years. Data compiled by SindiDados – Campos Consultores and released by the National Association of Cocoa Processing Industries (AIPC) show that cocoa bean reception totaled 95,108 tons in the first half of the year, a 63.4% increase compared to the same period in 2025 and practically at the same level recorded before the supply crisis in 2023. This performance was driven by the second quarter, when reception reached 66,503 tons, a 64.5% increase compared to the same period last year. Anna Paula Losi, executive president of AIPC, states that “cocoa bean production in Brazil has once again shown a positive sign of growth. The challenge is to consolidate this movement so that it continues in the coming cycles and so that this production translates into more processing, greater competitiveness, and value for the entire chain,” she emphasizes.

The resumption of production has not yet reached industrial activity.

In the first half of 2026, total grinding reached 101,426 tons, a growth of only 3.6% compared to 2025. Even so, the volume remains 19.8% lower than that recorded in the first half of 2023. The same trend is observed in the second quarter. Between April and June, grinding reached 49,711 tons, an increase of 8.6% compared to the same period in 2025, but still 20.4% below the volume processed in the second quarter of 2023. The comparison between receipt and grinding summarizes the current situation of the Brazilian cocoa chain. While the supply of cocoa beans grew by more than 63% in the semester, grinding advanced only 3.6%, which shows that the recovery in production has not yet translated into a recovery in demand for cocoa derivatives. "Producing more cocoa is just the first step. Strengthening the supply chain happens when this production is transformed into higher value-added products. Until that happens, some of the gains from the improved harvest will not translate into income, jobs, and competitiveness for the sector," the executive points out.

Reduced need for imports reflects increased supply, but not a structural change.

The recovery in domestic production substantially reduced the need to import cocoa beans in the first half of 2026. Brazil imported 18,100 tons, the lowest volume in the recent series and 57.1% lower than that recorded in the same period of 2025. This trend was even more evident in the second quarter, when, for the first time in four years, there was no need to import cocoa beans. According to AIPC (Brazilian Association of Cocoa Producers), this result should be interpreted with caution, as it reflects a combination of lower demand for cocoa derivatives than in recent years and greater availability of domestic raw materials, which does not imply structural self-sufficiency in cocoa bean production in Brazil. Demand for derivatives continues to determine the pace of the supply chain. The performance of exports is yet another indication that industrial activity has not yet returned to pre-crisis levels. Brazilian exports of cocoa derivatives totaled 26,739 tons in the first half of 2026, a volume 7.0% lower than that recorded in the same period of 2025. Although the second quarter showed a 13% increase compared to the first, the advance was insufficient to reverse the accumulated decline in the semester. Exports of cocoa beans remained residual, with only 274 tons shipped in the semester, which demonstrates that Brazilian competitiveness is concentrated in the industrialization and export of higher value-added products.

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.