Above-average rainfall across most of Ivory Coast’s cocoa-growing regions last week has improved soil moisture and raised expectations for a stronger mid-crop harvest, farmers said on Monday.
The world’s top cocoa producer is currently in its rainy season, which runs from April to mid-November, a period critical for the development of pods during the March-to-August mid-crop cycle.
Farmers across key production zones reported sustained and, in some areas, unusually heavy rainfall, which they say has strengthened cocoa trees and improved pod development.
“It really rained a lot last week. This rain will strengthen the trees and boost their yield,” said Salame Kone, a farmer near Soubre in the western region, where rainfall reached about 67.4 millimetres — above the five-year average.
In the southern region of Divo, growers also reported favourable conditions, saying consistent rains had supported flowering and pod formation on cocoa trees. Similar sentiments were expressed in Agboville and Abengourou, where rainfall levels were significantly above seasonal averages.
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In Agboville, about 84.4 millimetres of rain was recorded last week, around 25.8 millimetres above average, while Abengourou saw 74.6 millimetres, exceeding the norm by more than 20 millimetres, according to local estimates cited by farmers.
However, producers cautioned that continued heavy rainfall could begin to disrupt harvesting and post-harvest drying processes, particularly if downpours persist into late June. Excess moisture, they warned, may also increase the risk of localised flooding in low-lying plantations.
“There has been plenty of rain. If this continues, the harvests will be good starting in August,” said Jean Assiri, a farmer in Bongouanou in the central-eastern belt, where rainfall was also well above average.
Conditions were more mixed in other areas, including Daloa, where rainfall remained below average, although farmers still reported generally healthy pod development. In parts of the southern belt, including Yamoussoukro, rainfall was higher than average, supporting steady crop growth.
Despite regional variations, overall conditions were described as favourable for the mid-crop, which plays a key role in global cocoa supply between the main harvest seasons.
Temperatures across cocoa-growing regions ranged between 27.6 and 31.1 degrees Celsius during the week, conditions considered broadly suitable for cocoa development.
Ivory Coast and neighbouring Ghana account for a large share of global cocoa output, and weather patterns in both countries are closely monitored by traders and chocolate manufacturers worldwide.
Analysts say consistent rainfall during the mid-crop period could help stabilise output expectations after earlier concerns over uneven precipitation in parts of West Africa.
