More sun needed to boost Ivory Coast cocoa main crop, farmers say

Rainfall was below average last week in most of Ivory Coast's main cocoa-growing regions, but adequate soil moisture continued to support strong flowering on plantations, farmers said on Monday.

Ivory Coast, the world's top cocoa producer, is in its rainy season which runs officially from April to mid-November, when rains are abundant and often heavy.

Growers said they were satisfied with the pace of flowering, describing it as the best seen in the past three years for this period.

They reported no signs of disease or damage, with green foliage indicating healthy trees but said more sunshine is needed to boost the upcoming October-to-March main crop.

Farmers expect a strong main crop harvest but cautioned that weather in August and September will be critical, as overcast skies, insufficient sunshine or excessive rain could trigger disease and affect yields in the October-to-March harvests.

"There is very good flowering on the trees. We need more sun because the air is cool," said Kouassi Kouame, a farmer near Soubre in the west, where 3.7 millimetres of rain fell last week, 25.8 mm below the five-year average.

Similar comment was reported in the southern regions of Agboville and Divo, and in the eastern region of Abengourou, where rains were below average. Farmers there said enough pods would be harvested from mid-August and said they are expecting an early start of the next main crop.

In the centre-western region of Daloa, in the central regions of Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro, where rains were below average, farmers said more sunshine was crucial for the development of young fruit.

"We need stronger sun right now," said Emile Kassi, who farms near Daloa, where 6.1 mm of rain fell last week, 16.8 mm below average.

Weekly average temperatures ranged from 23.6 to 26.6 degrees Celsius.