Leading cocoa producers will discusswhether newly-agreed rules on an international cocoa buffer
stock will succeed in reversing a sharp fall in world prices
when they start four day's of talks here later today,
conference sources said.
    Another topic likely to be discussed at the twice-yearly
meeting of the Cocoa Producer Alliance (CPA) is the pact's
second line of market support -- a witholding scheme under
which exporters can take up to 120,000 tonnes of cocoa off the
market if buffer stock purchases fail to defend prices.
    The International Cocoa Organisation is due to discuss the
scheme at a meeting in June, and exporters could use the
Yaounde talks to work out a common position on the issue, the
sources said.
    Delegates will also be briefed on arrangements for an
international cocoa research conference due to take place in
Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic next month, CPA
secretary general D.S. Kamga said.
    The 11-member CPA include the world's top three producers
of Ivory Coast, Brazil and Ghana and accounts for around 80 pct
of world output.
 REUTER
