Rain last week in most of Ivory Coast's main cocoa growing regions will help produce an abundant April-to-September mid-crop, farmers said on Monday, though dry, hot weather was damaging flowers in the east. The dry season in the world's top cocoa producer runs from mid-November to March. It has been less severe this year than last year and cocoa production is expected to hit a record high of nearly 2 million tonnes this season.
"We couldn't imagine at the beginning of the season that we would have so much rain this month," said Salame Kone, who farms in the western region of Soubre, at the heart of the cocoa belt. "There are many flowers and small pods on the trees compared to last season. We expect an abundant and good quality mid-crop from April onwards," Kone said. Farmers reported similar growing conditions in the southern region of Divo, where there was one heavy rainfall last week.
"The weather is not bad. There is rain and heat," said Amadou Diallo, who farms in the outskirts of Divo, adding that the good weather would need to continue into March to ensure a healthy crop. Good growing conditions were also reported in the southern regions of Aboisso, Agboville and Tiassale, and in the western regions of Duekoue and Gagnoa.
But in the eastern region of Abengourou, known for the quality of its beans, farmers said hot weather and a lack of rain had damaged flowers and threatened to reduce the mid-crop size. "There is no rain and it's been very hot for three weeks. Lots of flowers have started to dry out and fall off the trees," said Lambert Kouassi, who farms near Abengourou.
In the centre-western region of Daloa, which accounts for about a quarter of national output, farmers reported good rain last week but said it was too late to boost mid-crop production. "The rain did not come at the right time. There are few pods on many of the plantations. Our mid-crop will be late and small in volume," said Raphael Kouadio, who farms near Daloa.