Favourable weather conditions last week bode well for the opening of Ivory Coast's 2009/10 main cocoa crop season this Thursday, farmers said on Monday. Bad weather was one of the many problems that dragged 2008/09 harvest volumes in the world's biggest cocoa producer below initial expectations, but farmers say the forthcoming season may begin promisingly.
The 2009/10 season is due to start officially on October 1 after the annoucement of a new guideline marketing price and taxes, the latter of which are expected to be reduced. Last week, the head of the Ivorian cocoa sector management body said he expected the 2009/10 season to be at best equal to this campaign, and possibly lower, as a result of long-term degeneration of many plantations.
Farmers said if they receive one good downpour per week mixed with long sunshine spells until late October, the main crop could be extended into February and beyond. In the western region Soubre, farmers said they enjoyed the weather, adding there will be no serious problem of humidity for cocoa pods to be harvested until December. "We've had light rains and lots of sunshine. We're happy with the weather, which is helping the pods develop," said farmer Koffi Kouame, who farms near Soubre.
In the centre-western region of Daloa producing the quarter of Ivory Coast's national output, farmers said lighters rains mixed with enough sunny spells was good for the main crop. Farmers said plenty of pods were already ripe and signs on trees showed harvesting would intensify from November to December.
"There is a combination of big pods, small pods, and flowers on the trees, which tells us that the majority of the harvest is going to be between November and December," Daloa farmer Magloire Gnankan said. Farmers also reported good growing conditions in western regions Gagnoa and Meagui, coastal regions Sassandra and San Pedro, and southern regions Divo and Aboisso.
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