Do Imports of Cocoa Beans from Third Countries Impact the Bilateral Cocoa Bean Trade Between the U.S. and Ivory Coast?

This article examines the factors influencing U.S. imports of cocoa beans from Ivory Coast, with a focus on cocoa bean imports from third countries. Using time series data from 1970 to 2022 with the ARDL bound approach, the study reveals that cocoa bean imports from Nigeria and Ghana have a significant negative impact on Ivorian cocoa bean imports in both short and long term. Additionally, the appreciation of the Ivorian currency is found to decrease U.S. imports of cocoa beans from Ivory Coast. Received: 26 July 2024 / Accepted: 29 August 2024 / Published: 7 September 2024