Farmers in Ivory Coast, the world’s largest cocoa producer, have reported that last week’s rainfall, despite being below average across most growing regions, has been sufficient to support the development of the country’s April-to-September cocoa mid-crop.
The country is currently in its dry season, typically characterized by limited and irregular rainfall, which often affects crop development. However, farmers noted that the moisture levels were enough to assist pod development, despite the declining rainfall during the ongoing November-to-March main crop period.
While the rainfall from last week has been helpful, farmers expressed concern over the increasing temperatures, which could pose risks to the trees and young pods if they continue to rise without sufficient rainfall in the coming weeks. They are particularly worried that the upcoming rains, from next week until late April, need to be abundant to ensure healthy mid-crop production and high-quality cocoa beans. In regions such as Bongouanou, where rainfall was significantly below the average, farmers warned that prolonged heat could lead to potential losses if conditions do not improve soon.
In contrast, farmers in the western regions of Soubre and the southern region of Divo reported more favourable weather, with rainfall exceeding the average, which is setting up expectations for a long and fruitful mid-crop. These regions are already seeing well-developed cocoa pods, and harvests are expected to begin slowly in the coming days. However, farmers in the central and eastern regions, such as Yamoussoukro and Abengourou, are experiencing below-average rainfall, with concerns over the impact of continuing heat on crop yields. The situation remains closely monitored as the mid-crop marketing season is set to begin in April.