Light rains and sunny spells across Ivory Coast’s cocoa regions are expected to sustain the main crop. Farmers said October-to-March yields should remain abundant at least through January, as recent weather balances moisture and drying conditions perfectly.
The world’s top cocoa producer is still in its rainy season, which officially runs from April to mid-November. Sunshine periods are helping freshly harvested beans dry, enhancing quality, while soil moisture supports pod growth across central and western regions.
If intermittent rains continue through mid-November, farmers anticipate the main crop will remain plentiful and of high quality through January. Large cocoa pods near maturity have been reported, with harvesting expected to peak from early November and continue until late January.
Abundant flowers and young pods, or cherelles, hint at a strong February harvest, assuming November rains persist and dry season remains mild. “Many flowers and cherelles are still on the trees; we’re lucky this year to have plenty of cocoa in February,” said Firmin Konan.
Central regions including Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro also reported below-average rains, yet harvesting activity has picked up significantly in recent days. In western Soubre and southern Agboville and Divo, sunshine is aiding small pods’ growth, while eastern Abengourou enjoys above-average rainfall for quality beans. “The weather is good for fighting disease and producing high-quality cocoa,” said Kouassi Kouame, reporting 21 mm of rain last week in Soubre. Weekly average temperatures across cocoa zones ranged between 26.2 and 28.7 degrees Celsius, offering favourable conditions for the developing crop.