Most of Ivory Coast's cocoa growing regions saw no rainfall last week, raising fears for the April-to-September mid-crop, farmers said on Monday. Scarce showers during the dry season, which runs from November to late February, are crucial for cocoa crops to withstand the heat in Ivory Coast, the world's biggest cocoa producer.
Although trees are laden with fruit, farmers said some leaves and cherelles were drying up in the heat, and that a prolonged drought could prevent the crop from reaching its full potential. "The heat is unbearable. There are leaves and cherelles who are beginning to dry up and fall," said Amadou Diallo, who farms on the outskirts of the southern region of Divo.
"We need a strong shower soon because trees are starting to suffer," said Diallo. In the centre-western region of Daloa, which produces a quarter of national output, farmers said they feared bush fires, which can arise at this time of year. "Pods are developing well, but we hope abundant rains will come soon to reduce the risk of bush fires," said Albert N'Zue, who farms near Daloa.