Another week of low rainfall and high temperatures in most of Côte d'Ivoire's main cocoa-growing regions could reduce the size of the April-to-September mid crop, farmers said on Monday.
The world's top cocoa producer is at the start of its rainy season, which officially runs from April to mid-November when rains are usually abundant.
But several farmers across the country said they were waiting for heavy rain to offset the impact of hot weather on soil moisture that in turn dries out small pods and reduces crop size.
They said they hoped there would be at least one heavy shower over the next ten days to avoid small and poor quality beans in June and July.
'Very hot'
"It is very hot. If there is not enough rain over the next ten days, small pods will begin to feel it," said Albert N’Zue, who farms near the centre-western region of Daloa, where 3.7 millimetres (mm) of rain fell last week, 17.5 mm below the five-year average.
Farmers reported similar weather in the central regions of Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro, where rains were also below average.
The western region of Soubre, the southern regions of Agboville and Divo, and the eastern region of Abengourou also had below average rainfall.
Farmers there said bean quality and availability could improve from mid-May if rains became more regular over the coming week. Some said buyers were asking them to sort their deliveries before selling as beans were often too small.
Global rise in cocoa prices
"If rains pick up soon we could at least have enough cocoa towards the end of May and in June," said Kouassi Kouame, who farms near Soubre, where 10.5 mm of rain fell last week, 9 mm below the average.
In the eastern region Abengourou, which neighbours Ghana, farmers said some were crossing the border with their motorbikes to sell their beans to Ghanaian buyers at a higher price.
Ghana raised the fixed farmgate price paid to cocoa farmers by more than 58% for the rest of the 2023/24 season. It followed Côte d'Ivoire's decision to increase its farmgate price by 50% for the mid crop.
The new prices reflect a global rise in cocoa prices over the last year as disease and adverse weather in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, the world's top two producers, pushed the global market to a third successive deficit.
'Yet to benefit'
Several farmers in Côte d'Ivoire said on Monday that they had yet to profit from the price hike as there were too few beans to sell.
Average temperatures ranged between 29.4 degrees Celsius (84.92°F) and 33.2 C in Côte d'Ivoire last week.
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