Brazil Q1 cocoa grind falls 13% on slower demand, low local supplies

April 14 (Reuters) - Cocoa processing plants in Brazil, the world's fifth-largest chocolate market, processed 52,135 metric tons of the bean in the first quarter, 13% less than in the same period in 2024, due to slower demand and falling local supplies.

Data from industry group AIPC released on Monday showed cocoa arrivals, or the amount of the commodity supplied to Brazilian plants by local farmers, fell 5% in the quarter versus last year to 17,758 tons.

Brazilian production was hit by adverse weather conditions last year. The country is expanding plantings, but any production increase would take some years.

AIPC said that as a result of small local cocoa arrivals, the industry had to boost imports.

Brazil imported 19,491 tons of cocoa in the first quarter, nearly 30% more than in the first quarter of 2024.

High global prices for cocoa have hit demand for chocolate, particularly in developing countries.