Ivory Coast rubber production rises to 2 million tons in 2025

Ivory ​Coast's rubber output rose to ​about 2 million ‌metric tons ​in 2025 from around 1.8 million tons a year earlier and is ‌expected to remain stable this year, according to data released on Thursday by the country's natural rubber association, APROMAC.

Ivory Coast is Africa's ‌largest natural rubber exporter and the world's second-biggest producer, up ‌from fourth place in 2024, according to APROMAC. Many farmers say they are increasingly switching from cocoa to rubber in search of more stable ⁠incomes, ​driving a ⁠boom in new plantations. "Production will be stable this year. We will focus ⁠more on the quality of our rubber," APROMAC President Charles-Emmanuel Yace said. ​He added that the country has about 50 ⁠processing plants with a combined capacity well above 2 million tons.

Rubber farmers ⁠told ​Reuters the increase in output was driven mainly by training in good agricultural practices and improved governance of the ⁠sector. Three plant managers told Reuters output should edge higher over the ⁠next five ⁠years as young plantations mature. They said growth would accelerate after that as newer plantations ‌begin producing.

(Editing by ‌Ayen Deng Bior. Editing ​by Mark Potter)