Ivory Coast rains promise strong finish to cocoa mid-crop

Abundant rains and sunny spells last week in Ivory Coast’s main cocoa growing regions could improve the mid-crop harvest, though too much rain risked causing disease farmers said on Monday.
The world's top cocoa producer is currently harvesting beans from its April-to-September mid-crop, and port arrivals are nearly on par with last year's record crop of around 1.74 million tonnes, according to exporters.
Farmers said that the supply of beans leaving plantations was picking up and they would begin preparing for next season's October-to-March harvest from July.
In the western region of Duekoue, farmers said they'd averaged at least two showers per week over the past month.
"There's intense harvesting now and there are lots of trucks delivering to the buyers and exporters," said Duekoue farmer and cooperative manager Amara Kone.
"The quality is good. We'll have more cocoa in August and September compared to now, because there are many cherelles (small pods) on the trees," he added.
In the western region of Soubre, in the heart of the cocoa belt, farmers reported three heavy showers during the week.
"If the rains are very abundant this month, disease could destroy the pods and reduce the harvest," said farmer Lazare Ake, who farms near Soubre. "The weather is starting to be overcast during the day. If we don't get enough sunshine, that could slow the development of the cherelles."
In the centre-western regions of Daloa, which produces a quarter of Ivory Coast's cocoa, farmers said two downpours mixed with sunny spells were continuing a trend of recent good weather following months of dry conditions earlier in the season.
"We've had a month of regular rainfall. We missed out on the mid-crop, but we are confident that the next main crop will be good," said Koffi Konan, who farms in the outskirts of Daloa.
Good growing conditions were also reported in the southern regions of Aboisso, Agboville and Divo and in the western region of Gagnoa.