Lack of rain to hamper Ivory Coast cocoa harvest

Inadequate rainfall within the Ivory Coast’s cocoa growing regions is expected to hinder the April-to-September mid-crop as trees suffer from a lack of moisture, farmers said on Monday.
The cocoa season in the world’s top producer opened on Oct. 1 and the November-March dry season frequently impacts crop development.
Farmers said many trees were flowering, but more moisture was needed for the flowers to survive and turn into small pods, adding that the size of crops would depend on the number of small pods.
“If the heat persists and rains are not sufficient, beans will be of poor quality at the start of the mid-crop,” said Salame Kone, who farms near the western region of Soubre, in the heart of the cocoa belt.
In the centre-western region of Daloa, which accounts for a quarter of Ivory Coast’s output, farmers said flowers were wilting.
“Some flowers have fallen because of the heat and lack of water, but this is not alarming,” said Raphael Kouadio, who farms near Daloa.
Similar growing conditions were reported in the eastern region of Abengourou and in the western region of Gagnoa, whereas farmers in the southern regions of Agboville, Divo and Tiassale, and in the western region of Duekoue were more upbeat.