The world’s largest chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebaut has resumed cocoa exports from the Ivory Coast.

In a circular seen by GTR, a spokesperson for the company said: “We are happy to see the overall situation in Côte d’Ivoire is improving day by day. Most of the banks have resumed operations, shops are being supplied with food and traffic is getting busier every day. However, public security is still not completely back to normal yet.”

“In the view of these challenging circumstances, we view it as a great achievement that Barry Callebaut was now able to resume its exports from Côte d’Ivoire last Sunday, May 8, 2011. We are very happy to inform you that the first vessel with cocoa products from the West African country left the port of San Pedro with destination Europe over the weekend.”

The circular also stated that other container ships will be leaving San Pedro and Abidjan in the south of the country headed for Europe, the US and Mexico.

GTR reported in early April that cocoa exports were due to resume soon.