Ghana among key suppliers as Netherlands leads global cocoa products trade
The Netherlands has reclaimed its position at the centre of the global cocoa trade, overtaking Germany as the world’s leading exporter of cocoa products in 2025, with Ghana among the key suppliers feeding the booming European market.
New data released by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) shows that Dutch cocoa exports reached €12.4 billion last year, marking a sharp rise driven largely by surging global cocoa prices and strong demand for semi-processed products used in chocolate manufacturing.
The figures underline the continued importance of West African producers, particularly Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, which remain critical to global supply chains.
Together with Cameroon and Nigeria, the region provides a substantial share of the raw cocoa beans that are shipped into the Netherlands for processing and re-export.
New data released by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) shows that Dutch cocoa exports reached €12.4 billion last year, marking a sharp rise driven largely by surging global cocoa prices and strong demand for semi-processed products used in chocolate manufacturing.
The figures underline the continued importance of West African producers, particularly Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, which remain critical to global supply chains.
Together with Cameroon and Nigeria, the region provides a substantial share of the raw cocoa beans that are shipped into the Netherlands for processing and re-export.
Beyond exports, the Netherlands also ranks among the world’s largest importers of cocoa beans, reinforcing its dual role as both a gateway and processing centre for the global cocoa industry.
The country’s total cocoa trade — including imports and exports — places it ahead of traditional competitors such as Germany and Belgium.
For Ghana, the latest development reinforces its continued relevance in the global cocoa economy, even as calls grow for producing countries to capture more value through local processing and industrialisation.
Economists argue that while Ghana benefits from strong demand for its cocoa beans, the dominance of European processors in the value chain highlights the need for sustained investment in domestic processing capacity to maximise returns from the crop.
