The upcoming October-to-March main cocoa crop in Ivory Coast is progressing positively in most major growing regions, aided by favorable weather conditions last week, according to farmers on Monday. Although the country is currently in its rainy season, which typically lasts from April to mid-November, recent weeks have seen below-average rainfall.
Farmers noted that while it’s early to provide a precise forecast for the main crop, the weather conditions in August and September will be critical. They expressed optimism about the initial stages of the harvest from October to December, citing a rapid increase in small cocoa pods as a sign of an abundant yield.
However, farmers also cautioned that excessive rainfall during July and August could lead to pod rot and disease. Antoine Bayili, a farmer near Soubre, reported only 5.4 mm of rain last week, which is significantly below the five-year average by 14.2 mm. He suggested that if light rain and sunshine occur in August, the cocoa yield could surpass last year’s output.
Similar sentiments were shared by farmers in the southern regions of Agboville and Divo, as well as in the eastern region of Abengourou, where rainfall has also been below average. Farmers in the west-central region of Daloa and central Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro reported good crop development despite lower rainfall, with a variety of fruit sizes visible on the trees.
Farmers expect to have a clearer outlook for the main crop by late August, with Paul Essie from Daloa noting that favorable weather could lead to significant cocoa sales during the main harvest.
The average weekly temperature across Ivory Coast ranged from 24.3 to 26.9 degrees Celsius.