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Cocoa farmers in the Ivory Coast are raising alarms as below-average rainfall last week threatens the quality and volume of the current mid-crop.
Despite the official start of the rainy season, persistent dry spells and high temperatures, ranging between 29.1 and 32.8 degrees Celsius, are leaving plantations parched.
Farmers emphasised that the period leading into late May is critical for ensuring that small and medium-sized pods develop properly before the season concludes.
While harvesting is currently picking up due to an abundance of large pods from previous growth, there is significant concern regarding the latter half of the March-to-August cycle.
In key western regions like Soubre and Daloa, rainfall levels dropped more than 12 millimetres below the five-year average.
Without an immediate increase in heavy downpours, farmers warn that the beans will be undersized and the overall harvest could be cut short.
Similar conditions were reported across the southern and eastern regions, where the lack of moisture is coupled with stifling heat.
Agricultural workers in central areas like Yamoussoukro noted that the small pods currently on the trees require significant water to reach maturity.
As the world’s leading cocoa producer, the Ivory Coast’s fluctuating weather patterns remain a focal point for global supply and bean quality expectations.
