ABIDJAN, July 13 (Reuters) – Below-average rainfall in Ivory Coast’s cocoa-growing regions helped dry the damp soil last week but more sunny spells are needed to boost the September-to-February main crop, farmers said on Monday.
• The world’s top cocoa producer is currently in its rainy season, which typically runs from April to mid-November.
• After heavy rains flooded plantations in some regions in late June, farmers said soil moisture remained very high and more sunny spells were needed to avoid crop diseases.
• Farmers said they expect to have a clearer indication of the size of the next main crop by late August.
• They added that flowering would continue until September and the size of the crop would depend on the number of flowers that would survive and turn into small pods.
• “Flowers are blooming. It’s very cloudy, even though we need plenty of sunshine,” said Salame Kone, who farms near the western region of Soubre, where 7.3 millimetres (mm) of rain fell last week, 23.6 mm below the five-year average. He added the situation was not yet alarming.
• In the southern regions of Agboville and Divo and in the eastern region of Abengourou, where rains were below average, farmers said the sky was regularly overcast, preventing plantations from benefiting from sunny spells.
• They added it was crucial for the trees to get a good mix of sun and rains during this month for an adequate development of the crop.
• In the west-central region of Daloa and in the central regions of Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro, where rains were below average, farmers said a mix of flowers and young pods, known as cherelles, were appearing on trees.
• However, farmers feared a cold wind blowing since Friday could damage the crop. They also said supply from the bush was scarce at the moment as the mid-crop was nearing its end.
• “It feels cold, and there’s no sun. This can slow the growth of flowers,” said Florent Koua, who farms near Daloa, where 4.2 mm of rain fell last week, 19 mm below the five-year average.
• Weekly temperatures across Ivory Coast ranged between 24.4 and 28.1 degrees Celsius (76 and 83 degrees Fahrenheit).
(Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly; Editing by Anait Miridzhanian and Susan Fenton)
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