Farmers in Ivory Coast, the world’s largest cocoa-producing country, are becoming increasingly concerned about poor rainfall in major cocoa-growing regions. Farmers say the lack of rain could affect the development and quality of cocoa pods for next year’s main harvest.
Ivory Coast is currently in its rainy season, which normally runs from April to mid-November. However, rainfall was below average last week across several important cocoa-producing areas, including Agboville, Abengourou, Divo and Soubré.
Farmers reported that some young cocoa pods are suffering from the lack of moisture, with some falling from the trees before they can fully develop. They warned that the situation could become more serious if dry weather continues into October.
The dry conditions are also creating concerns about the quality of cocoa beans currently being harvested. Farmers said cloudy weather in some areas has made it difficult for harvested beans to dry properly.
In Daloa, one of the country’s major cocoa-producing areas, farmers received some rain on Monday and expressed hope that rainfall would become more regular. However, farmers in other regions said more rain is still needed to support the crop as harvesting increases.
The development could become important for global cocoa supplies because Ivory Coast is the world’s leading cocoa producer. Continued dry conditions could affect both the quantity and quality of cocoa available in the coming harvest.
For now, farmers are hoping for regular rainfall in the coming weeks to protect the developing cocoa pods and support the country’s next main crop.
