Brazil's 2009/10 (May/April) cocoa arrivals reached 2.86 million 60-kg bags by December 27, down 1.8 percent from the same time last year, the Bahia Commercial Association said. Deliveries were low due to the holiday season, which shortened the working week to three days.
Arrivals from Bahia state totalled 26,882 60-kg bags between December 21 and 27 and only 2,817 bags were delivered in other states. There were no imports during the week. Plentiful rainfall arrived over Bahia, bringing much-needed moisture to Brazil's main cocoa state, which has suffered a prolonged dry spell.
"Rainfalls in good volume over the last days have allayed the worries about possible heavy damage to the forthcoming crop, but it will take a few more weeks before the first forecasts for the next (mid crop) can be made," cocoa analyst Thomas Hartmann said.