Good rains mixed with lengthy sunny spells last week in Ivory Coast's cocoa regions boded well for the development of the mid-crop about to be harvested, farmers and analysts said. The October to March main crop is tailing off and all eyes are on the April to September mid-crop.
Many farmers in the bush said harvesting have already started but remained small. Farmers added they were happy with the state of plantations, with many pods of big, small and average size on trees - although paralysis of the cocoa sector because of Ivory Coast's political crisis continues. In the western region of Soubre, at the heart of the cocoa belt, one analyst working for an industrial cocoa plantation reported 53 millimetres of rain. Farmers said first beans of the mid-crop were of small sizes but would improve as the rainy season kicks in.
"The harvest has started. The first beans are a bit small, probably only good for local grinders, not exporters," said farmer Lazare Ake, who farms in the outskirts of Soubre. In the southern region of Aboisso, analyst reported about 69 millimetres of rains which were boosting the crop.
Farmers said leaves on trees are becoming green, a good early sign of a proliferation of flowers and small pods. In the eastern region of Abengourou, 42 millimetres of rains punctuated with enough sunshine for drying were reported. "The first beans are being well dried. There's no problem with moisture," said one local analyst.
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