Unusually low rainfall last week in most of Ivory Coast’s cocoa-growing regions has reduced bean size and threatens to cut short the April-to-September mid-crop, farmers said on Monday.
Ivory Coast, the world’s top cocoa producer, is in its rainy season, which runs from April to mid-November. But the usual heavy downpours have been absent for the last few weeks.
“Buyers are complaining about the small size of the beans. Most farmers are forced to sort their beans before they can be sold,” said Gustave Yobouet, who farms near the eastern region of Abengourou, known for the good quality of its beans.
Data collected by Reuters showed rainfall in Abengourou was 11.9 millimetres (mm) last week, 24.5 mm below the five-year average.
In the centre-western region of Daloa and the central regions of Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro, where rains were well below the average, farmers said they feared the mid-crop would not last as long as last season.
“The mid-crop risks finishing early. There are new leaves on the trees but there is not enough water to allow them to develop,” said Koffi Kouame, who farms near Daloa, where 5.3 mm of rain fell last week, 19.1 mm below the average.
Rainfall was also below average in the western region of Soubre, at the heart of the cocoa belt, and in the southern regions of Divo and Agboville.
“If there is not enough water, the trees will be weakened and their yield will drop,” said Honore Tokpa, who farms near Soubre where 4.1 mm fell last week, 33.4 mm below the average.
Average daily temperatures ranged from 27.6 to 31.4 degrees Celsius last week. (Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly; Editing by Nellie Peyton and Barbara Lewis)
