More sun needed to strengthen Ivory Coast cocoa crop, farmers say

Ivory Coast cocoa farmers stated on Monday that more sunny spells are needed to boost the September-to-February main crop, despite below-average rainfall last week helping to dry damp soil. Farmers said soil moisture remained very high after heavy rains flooded plantations in some regions in late June, and more sunny spells are needed to avoid crop diseases. Salame Kone, a farmer near the western region of Soubre, where 7.3 millimetres (mm) of rain fell last week, 23.6 mm below the five-year average, said, "Flowers are blooming. It's very cloudy, even though we need plenty of sunshine."

Farmers expect a clearer indication of the size of the next main crop by late August. Flowering will continue until September, and the crop size will depend on the number of flowers that survive and turn into small pods. In the southern regions of Agboville and Divo and the eastern region of Abengourou, where rains were below average, farmers reported regularly overcast skies. In the west-central region of Daloa and the central regions of Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro, where rains were below average, farmers observed a mix of flowers and young pods, known as cherelles, appearing on trees. Farmers feared a cold wind blowing since Friday could damage the crop and noted that supply from the bush was scarce.