A lack of rain in most of Ivory Coast’s cocoa-growing regions could delay the start of the April to September mid-crop, potentially leading to a shortage of beans, farmers said on Monday.
The world’s top cocoa producer is in the dry season that runs from mid-November to March when rains are scarce and poor, and farmers say it is very hot compared to last year.
Farmers said they can no longer expect beans of good quality at the start of the mid-crop season in April as the soil moisture content was weak and the heat was drying leaves on trees.
They warned that if plantations don’t receive two significant rains before the end of February, the mid-crop would start slowly with a possible shortage of the key ingredient for chocolate in April.
Farmers
Farmers from the country’s central regions said they were concerned about the development of the mid-crop harvest because some trees had started to show signs of weakness due to a prolonged lack of adequate rains.
Stephane M’Bra, who farms near the west-central region of Daloa, said, “When you look at the foliage of some plantations, you think it’s swollen shoot disease (which reduces crop yields before killing trees).
“But it’s the heat and lack of rain that cause leaves to fall.”
No rain fell in Daloa last week.
Similar comments were reported in the central region of Bongouanou, which recorded 0.5mm of rain last week, and Yamoussoukro, where it did not rain.
In the western region of Soubre – which also had no rainfall last week – as well as Divo and Abengourou – where rainfall was below average – and Agboville – where rains were above average – farmers said they remained confident that crops would develop well.
The weekly average temperature across Ivory Coast last week ranged from 28.7 to 30.8 degrees Celsius.
Read More: Ivory Coast Cocoa Farmers Concerned Over Lack Of Rain
