ABIDJAN, July 24 (Reuters) - An influential trade union in Ivory Coast, the world's top cocoa grower, called on Thursday for a general strike starting on July 31 to protest against the high cost of living.

A strike last week disrupted transport and sparked clashes between youths and police in the main commercial city Abidjan, but its impact on the cocoa industry was minimal as activity has tailed off during a seasonal lull.

"We have have called on all the workers who are members of our central union to take part in a general strike, starting on July 31 until further notice," said Francois Ademensao, the secretary general of General Union of Ivoirian Workers.

"What we want is the reduction in the price of fuel at petrol stations and an increase in salaries for civil servants," he added. Ademensao's union has some 400,000 members.

Union leaders who called last week's strike discussed the crisis with Prime Minister Guillaume Soro last weekend. The government has since agreed to a series of measures, including cutting the fixed price of diesel and delaying the deadline for paying road tax.

The concessions will cost the government 200 billion CFA francs ($477.9 million) but they would be offset by ministers having their pay slashed, Soro said.

But Ademensao said the minimum wage and transport benefits must be increased to battle rising costs of living.

Ivory Coast's social tensions come at a potentially volatile moment as the country is due to hold elections in November. The polls are intended to draw a line under a war that has simmered since a 2002 coup attempt, but they have been delayed several times in recent years. (Reporting by Ange Aboa, Writing by David Lewis, Editing by Daniel Magnowski and Mary Gabriel)