LACRA Acting Boss, Deputy Off To Ivory Coast For Exploratory Mission

Our Acting Director General honorable Dan Saryee and Deputy for Operation and Technical Services Apha Gongolee have departed Liberia for an exploratory mission to the Republic of Ivory Coast.

Ivory Coast is the world’s biggest producer and supplier of cocoa beans, with exports valued at $3.33 billion in 2023 alone.

LACRA Acting DG Dan Saryee

The visit by Acting DG Saryee and Deputy Apha Gongolee will provide an opportunity to get a firsthand insight into the Ivorian cocoa industry, from farms to export facilities and the possibility of building partnerships between institutions in the Ivorian cocoa value chain.

While in Ivory Coast, Acting DG Saryee and Deputy Gongolee will visit the following institutions:

The Ivorian Coffee and Cocoa Regulatory Authority or the coffee and cocoa council-CCC, Wild Chimpanzee Foundation for biodiversity -WCF and Rain Forest Alliance.

They will also visit Cocoa packaging factories, Cocoa Fermentation Centers, Farms and Cooperatives to witness sustainable farming practices and observe Post-Harvest Processes and Jute Bag Production Companies among others.

​The new Administration at LACRA is moving to decentralize its operations to better support Liberian cocoa farmers and improve the country’s cocoa sector with particular focus on infrastructure development, farmer education, and market access compliance.

​LACRA has started the process of establishing regional warehouses to solve storage problem which is a major constraint for farmers while providing practical training for farmers focusing on post-harvest handling techniques, specifically fermentation and drying.

The authority also intends to build solar dryers in key cocoa-producing regions.  These dryers are important for improving the quality of cocoa exported out of Liberia.

​Also, LACRA is actively working to address the European Union (EU) Deforestation Regulations (EUDR), a major concern for countries that export agricultural products to the EU.

These regulations require companies to prove that their products, including cocoa, were not grown on land that has been deforested after December 31, 2020.

​To comply, LACRA is working to develop a traceability system that will track cocoa beans from farms to export points.

Acting DG Saryee and Deputy Gongolee will return on Saturday September 20th.