Farmers In Eastern Congo Are Increasingly Trading Coffee For Cocoa – CoffeeTalk

Congolese farmers are abandoning arabica and robusta for cocoa due to its lower labor-intensive nature and higher prices in the long run. The country’s coffee-rich eastern region still ships thousands of tonnes of beans annually, with robusta making up over 70% of the output. However, this data masks a steady decline in the popularity of coffee as a cash crop in these parts. Large-scale displacement triggered by conflict has also impacted farm activities, causing DRC’s coffee production to plummet almost 75% in 40 years.

Congo’s organic advantage should have been its trump card, as the country’s high-altitude plantations have never known chemical fertilisers. Farmers grow coffee the way their ancestors did: with compost, patience, and ample rainfall. Wet processing methods passed down generations are recommended, leaving only sugar and protein after fermentation and roasting, creating an aroma that international buyers pay a premium for.

As global coffee prices spike, robusta hit an all-time high of US$5,528 per tonne in November 2024, many Congolese coffee farmers seem to be walking away. The good news is that DRC clocked $433 million worth of agricultural exports in 2024, with coffee still leading the pack. However, in villages across North Kivu and Ituri, the call of cocoa is now stronger. “We have to abandon coffee cultivation if we are not ready to invest the necessary time in it. Coffee requires a lot of care. Coffee prices are less attractive compared to cocoa. So, we leave our coffee fields for cocoa, which is more profitable and in demand,” says Desiré Malyamukono, a farmer at Mukasila in Ituri province.

ONAPAC has launched awareness campaigns in major coffee-growing regions, distributing disease-resistant seedlings and organizing training sessions on improved cultivation techniques. Coffee offers stability, stores well, and maintains consistent export demand, while cocoa fetches $3,500 from local buyers with purportedly less toil involved in its cultivation. Twenty-four countries now import Congolese cocoa, with European chocolate makers leading demand.

Back in Beni, Musa Kombi plans to add another quarter of a hectare to his expanding cocoa patch next season. Turning away from the arabica trees his ancestors planted is tough, but he would rather invest where he believes his future lies.

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