Ivory Coast weather in most regions boost cocoa mid-crop

ABIDJAN: Good rain and sun last week in most of Ivory Coast's main cocoa regions will improve the size and quality of the April-to-September cocoa mid-crop although dry weather persisted in certain areas of the south and east, farmers said on Monday.

The marketing season in the world's top cocoa producer opened on April 1 with a guaranteed minimum farmgate price of 700 CFA francs ($1.14) per kilogramme, a 36 percent cut from last season amid a drop in world prices.

Farmers in most areas said growing conditions had improved last week as Ivory Coast entered the rainy season, which lasts until July. In the southern region of Aboisso and the eastern region of Abengourou, dry weather continued to cause damage.

In the western region of Duekoue, farmers were happy with the weather and said lots of small and medium-sized pods were growing.

"There is a small harvest for the mid-crop but it's going to really increase next month," said Amara Kone, who farms in the outskirts of Duekoue.

Farmers reported heavy rain in the centre-western region of Daloa, which accounts for about a quarter of national output, and in the south-western region of Soubre, at the heart of the cocoa belt, but some complained about the small size of beans.

"The beans are not good quality. They are small. We need lots of rain now so that the trend reverses in the next two months," said Koffi Kouame, who farms in the outskirts of Soubre.

In Abengourou, known for the good quality of its beans, farmers were still waiting for rain.

"We don't have cocoa to sell. Lots of flowers and leaves have dried out and fallen," said N'Dri Kouao, who farms in the town of Niable, near the border with Ghana.