Good rains revive hope for Ivorian cocoa

ABIDJAN – Abundant rains combined with plenty of sunshine during the last week in Ivory Coast’s cocoa growing regions favoured the development of the April-September mid-crop after a prolonged dry spell, farmers said yesterday.

The evolution of the weather in the world’s top cocoa producer is being closely watched by markets and exporters after the long drought in some key regions raised fears of a meagre mid-crop. In most cocoa regions farmers were happy to report abundant rains which they expected to strengthen cocoa trees and boost the crop.In the key western region of Daloa, which produces a quarter of Ivory Coast’s output, farmers said they received two good downpours last week after a prolonged dry spell which had damaged several plantations.Some Daloa farmers, however, said the mid-crop would start late and its size would be small compared to last season.”In nearly all the plantations in the region, there are almost no pods on the trees, which have been weakened by the long drought,” said farmer Attoungbre Kouame in the outskirts of Daloa.In western regions of Soubre, Meagui, Gagnoa and Duekoue, the coastal regions of Sassandra and San Pedro, southern regions of Divo and Agboville and eastern region of Abengourou, farmers said abundant rains in the spell were boosting the crop growth.Many said they expected a good mid-crop like last season.Nampa-ReutersIn most cocoa regions farmers were happy to report abundant rains which they expected to strengthen cocoa trees and boost the crop.In the key western region of Daloa, which produces a quarter of Ivory Coast’s output, farmers said they received two good downpours last week after a prolonged dry spell which had damaged several plantations.Some Daloa farmers, however, said the mid-crop would start late and its size would be small compared to last season.”In nearly all the plantations in the region, there are almost no pods on the trees, which have been weakened by the long drought,” said farmer Attoungbre Kouame in the outskirts of Daloa.In western regions of Soubre, Meagui, Gagnoa and Duekoue, the coastal regions of Sassandra and San Pedro, southern regions of Divo and Agboville and eastern region of Abengourou, farmers said abundant rains in the spell were boosting the crop growth.Many said they expected a good mid-crop like last season.Nampa-Reuters