Long sunny spells in Ivory Coast's cocoa regions are helping fortify developing main crop pods and making it easier to dry beans as the new season harvest gathers pace, farmers and analysts said on Tuesday.
Growers reported weak rains in most areas but soil moisture was said to be adequate to sustain the plantations. "There were two small showers but a lot of sun (in the last week)," said farmer Labbe Zoungrana, whose cocoa plantation is on the outskirts of the western port town of San Pedro.
"We really needed some sunny weather to dry the beans out. With the weather we've had, I have been able to dry six sackfuls that I'm selling," he added. Farmers first ferment their beans then spread them out to dry in the open air on large bamboo mats or tarpaulins - a process taking around two weeks in total. Only then can beans be put into 75-kg sacks and sold to co-operatives or private buyers.
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