ABIDJAN, March 5 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast's cocoa grind

was down 3.6% year-on-year in January at 63,380 metric tons,

data from the exporters' association GEPEX showed on Tuesday.

The total grind from the start of the 2023/24 season in

October stood at 233,333 tons of beans by the end of January,

down 2.1% compared with the same point last season.

The GEPEX data covers six of the largest grinding companies,

including Barry Callebaut, Olam International

and Cargill Inc.

Ivory Coast has a total grinding capacity of 712,000 tons.

It is the world's top cocoa producer and vies with the

Netherlands for the spot of leading grinder.