The last 10 years have seen cocoa crops in the Ivory Coast flat-line , while consumers ' insatiable appetite for chocolate has increased . The Ivory Coast is the world 's top supplier of cocoa , producing 35 percent of global supplies . It also has a long history as an exporter of palm oil and other tropical products such as coffee and bananas. Political instability has delayed investment in the Ivory Coast 's cocoa industry . Other challenges include lack of credit and a shift among Ivorian farmers away from cocoa to more reliable crops .
The Ivory Coast is the world 's top supplier of cocoa , producing 35 percent of global supplies . It also has a long history as an exporter of palm oil and other tropical products such as coffee and bananas. Political instability has delayed investment in the Ivory Coast 's cocoa industry . Other challenges include lack of credit and a shift among Ivorian farmers away from cocoa to more reliable crops .