The 2017/18 season in the world's top cocoa producer, opened on Oct.1 and the West African nation is in the midst of the dry season, which runs from mid-November to March. And farmers said they were beginning to focus on how the weather was likely to affect the April-to-September mid-crop.

In the southern region of Divo, farmers reported no rainfall last week, adding that the intensity of the Harmattan - seasonal winds which blow dust down from the Sahara - had picked up.

"It is Harmattan and drought here. At this moment it is not dramatic because there are many green leaves and fruits on the trees," said Amadou Diallo, who farms on the outskirts of Divo.

"There is water in the soil. We think this can help the trees until March," he said.

The first three months of the cocoa season were marked by abundant rainfall across most of the country. Data collected by Reuters showed soil moisture content in the Divo region was at 356 millimetres in December, well above the norm of 337.5 mm.

In the western region of Soubre, in the heart of the cocoa belt, farmers said they were afraid the hot dry weather would persist.

"At the moment the Harmattan is bearable, but we need rainfall this month for the beans to be of high quality when the mid-crop starts," said Salame Kone, who farms near Soubre.

Reuters data showed soil moisture content in the Soubre region, including Sassandra and San Pedro, was at 447.5 mm in December, above the 362.3 mm norm.

In the centre-western region of Daloa, which accounts for a quarter of Ivory Coast's national output, farmers were concerned that the lack of rain along with the hot weather could cause the main crop to taper off early.

"If we continue four weeks like this without rain, there won't be much cocoa after February," said Raphael Kouame, who farms near Daloa.

Farmers reported similar weather conditions in the southern regions of Agboville and Tiassale, and in the eastern region of Abengouro.