Cool, cloudy weather and patchy rainfall last week in most of Ivory Coast's cocoa growing regions could hinder the development of the next main crop, farmers said on Monday. The April-September mid crop in the world's top cocoa producer is tailing off and the focus now is on the forthcoming October-to-March main crop, farmers said.
Farmers said the next two months are crucial as plantations need the right mix of sun and moisture to trigger abundant flowers and help them turn into pods to ensure a productive first three months of the coming campaign. Early signs suggest the main crop could be around a quarter below its four-year average due to a long dry season for which the current weather has failed to compensate, exporters said.
In the western region of Soubre, at the heart of the cocoa belt, an analyst reported 13 millimetres of rain in the last week, compared with 76 mm the previous week. "The sky is cloudy and there's a fresh wind. It's not good for flowering and the development of cocoa," said Salame Kone, who farms in the outskirts of Soubre. "We need to have lots of rain and sunshine for good cocoa development conditions."
Similar growing conditions were reported in the centre western region of Daloa, which produces one-quarter of national output, but farmers said they expected more rain and sunny spells to strengthen the main crop. "We don't have enough sun. It's not good for the trees. If the climate stays in this state in the weeks to come it will hinder the development of the flowers," said Albert N'Zue, who farms near Daloa.