Ivory Coast cocoa farmers optimistic despite dry weather

Cocoa farmers in top grower Ivory Coast are optimistic about the upcoming mid-crop harvest, despite drier weather in some central regions threatening fires.

“Our biggest worry is bush fires, because everything is getting dry,” said Emile Ouedraogo, a farmer in the central town of Banoufla.

Further west, farmers reported that a recent period without rain has had little impact on the crop outlook. Ivory Coast is coming to the end of its main-crop harvest at the end of this month. The smaller of the two annual harvests begins on April 1 and continues to the end of September.

In No. 2 producer Ghana, there were heavy showers in the last seven days, according to David Soffo, who cultivates six acres of the crop in the village of Yakasi-Newtown near the country’s border with Ivory Coast. “The weather has turned out well in our favor,” he said.

Cameroon Rains

It rained throughout the week in Cameroon’s Center Region, said Emmanuel Nguile, a large-scale cocoa farmer in Ngoro, near Bafia, who also supplies pods to other farms for nurseries.

Nigeria

There’s been more consistent rainfall in cocoa-growing areas of southeastern Nigeria and farmers are looking forward to more of it in the coming weeks to speed up the growth and development of the cocoa trees impacted by an earlier dry spell.

Leaves are becoming greener in a positive sign for healthy tree growth, said Neji Abang, who farms in the town of Bendeghe-afi near Aparambong in the southeast.

Farmers in the southwest reported similar weather patterns, providing relief that there may still be a good mid-crop harvest.