Ivory Coast's main cocoa growing regions have remained dry over the last week, farmers and an analyst said on Monday, but showers fell in some smaller eastern regions, boosting soil moisture during the hot, dry season. "There was a heavy shower last week. I was very pleased," said farmer Etienne Yao, whose farm is in Aboisso in the south-east.
"It will help the pods develop for harvesting in March and help trees to flower ahead of the (April-September) mid crop." Farmers in the southern towns of Agboville and Ayame said they also received a small amount of rain last week but in main growing zones such as Daloa, Soubre and Gagnoa, in or near to the main western cocoa belt, conditions remained dry.
A damp fog which enveloped some of these areas in the mornings was providing some moisture however. "It's not raining at all," said state agronomist Lassene Traore in the south-western coastal region of Sassandra. "There's still a lot of cocoa in the bush. The damp fog seen very early in the morning can give water to the trees to help pods develop," said Traore.
Rainfall was abundant during the second half of 2007 enabling the soil to sustain trees during the current dry weather, but farmers say more rain will be needed very soon, particularly as trees flower ahead of the next mid crop harvest.
Farmer Joseph Amani, whose farm lies near Abengourou in the east said he was concerned about the lack of rainfall there and said the Harmattan desert wind had picked up there again though it cleared more than a week ago in other areas.
"It's not raining and the Harmattan has returned since Friday," he said. "It's not serious for now but we'll need some rain before the end of the month to set our minds at rest," he said.