Dry weather threatens Ivory Coast cocoa crop, farmers say

Ivory Coast, the world's leading cocoa producer, is facing a potential crop threat due to the ongoing dry season, with key cocoa-growing regions experiencing no rainfall last week. This dry spell could negatively affect bean quality and significantly reduce supplies starting from February. Although there are still enough pods to be harvested in January, the main crop will progressively decline thereafter. Farmers are closely monitoring the development of the average crop from January, hoping for sufficient rains to promote flowering and pod growth. The article emphasizes the concerns over the lack of rainfall in important regions like Daloa, Bongouanou, and Yamoussoukro, and the potential impact of the Harmattan wind on cocoa pods. It also highlights the need for consistent rainfall in January to improve yields and pod quality thereafter.

ABIDJAN, Dec 30 (Reuters) - There was no rain last week in most of Ivory Coast’s main cocoa-growing regions and growers said on Monday that dry weather could harm the quality of beans and reduce supplies from February. The world’s top cocoa producer is in the dry season, which runs from mid-November to March, when rainfall is low. Farmers said there were enough pods on the trees to be harvested in January, but from February the main October-March crop would start to dwindle. They said they would start monitoring the development of the April-September average crop from January. Good rains are needed to trigger more flowering and help the plants develop into small pods for a strong start to the average crop in April, farmers added. In the central-western region of Daloa and the central regions of Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro, which had no rain last week, farmers said they were worried about the weather. "We haven't had a single drop of rain. It's not good for the end of the main crop ...