Ivory Coast rains below average, threatening cocoa crop quality and supply
Rainfall was below average last week in most of Ivory Coast's main cocoa-growing regions, with farmers concerned that dry conditions could threaten the development of small pods to be harvested next year. Farmers also expressed concern about the quality of beans currently being harvested, saying overcast conditions were preventing them from drying properly.
Rainfall in most of Ivory Coast's main cocoa-growing areas was below average last week, farmers said on Monday, raising concerns about pod development and crop quality. Dry conditions are affecting a new wave of small pods due to be harvested next year during the September-to-February main crop, with some pods falling from trees, they said. Farmers said the situation could become alarming if dry weather continues until mid-October. "If rains are not regular before mid-October, harvesting for the main crop will end in December," said Kouassi Kouame, a farmer near the western town of Soubre, where no rain fell last week.
Farmers in Agboville, Abengourou and Divo also reported similar conditions. Rainfall was sharply below average in Agboville and Abengourou, while no rain fell in Divo last 21. Farmers in the affected regions said harvesting is expected to pick up sharply from next week through December. They also raised concern about the quality of beans now being collected, saying cloudy weather was stopping the beans from drying properly.
In the west-central area of Daloa, where rainfall was also below average, growers said good rain early on Monday raised hopes for more regular precipitation this week. "It rained well this morning. 1 mm below the average. Farmers in the central regions of Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro said more rain was needed to support the crop as harvesting gathers pace.
7 degrees Celsius.