Farmers from Ivory Coast’s main cocoa growing regions are worried that a persistent lack of rain could weigh on the April to September mid-crop, they said on Monday.
The world’s top cocoa producer is in the dry season that runs from November to March, when rainfall is low.
Farmers told Reuters that the main crop tailed off, adding that harvesting in February and March would be tight.
In the west-central region of Daloa and in the central regions of Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro – where no rain fell last week – farmers said the drought could decrease the yield of cocoa trees, dry the first flowers and young cocoa pods, and reduce the size of the mid-crop.
Paul Dje, a farmer from near Daloa, said, “We need plenty of rain. In many plantations, the leaves have started to dry out on the trees. This is not good.”
Farmers there said if plantations do not receive good rainfall until early February, it could delay the start of mid-crop harvesting.
They added that the quality of beans would be poor for the next month.
In the western region of Soubre and in the southern regions of Agboville and Divo – where it also did not rain last week – and in the eastern region of Abengourou – where rainfall was poor – farmers said soil moisture content would help the development of the mid-crop.
Kouassi Kouame, who farms near Soubre, said, “There’s no problem at the moment. If it rains before the end of this month, the mid-crop will develop well.”
The weekly average temperature across the West African country last week ranged from 27.1 to 28.6 degrees Celsius.
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