Farmgate prices in Ivory Coast's cocoa regions were mixed in the week of January 24-30, data from the BCC marketing body showed on Tuesday. Farmers said fierce competition pushed prices up in some areas while in other parts of the world's top cocoa grower buyers continued to offer lower prices. In the eastern town of Aboisso, near the border with Ghana, the average price rose by 25 CFA francs per kg to 300 CFA ($0.596) during the period.

"I think the rise of last week's prices must be linked to an improvement of prices at the port in Abidjan," said farmer Denis Aka, adding that several merchants had arrived to buy beans.

"I discussed with buyers and we agreed a price of 320 CFA per kg last week. I was happy with this level," he said. In the central town of Divo, one farmer said several buyers were travelling around plantations trying to persuade farmers to sell at a lower price.

Copyright Reuters, 2005