World’s top cocoa producer expecting high crop despite below-average rains

Ivory Coast, the world’s top cocoa producer

Ivory Coast, the world’s top cocoa producer, is in its rainy season that runs from April-to-mid-November, when rains are usually more abundant and sometimes heavy.

Upland, most farmers said there was no sign of disease on the plantations, where they expect harvesting to increase from September. More rain will be needed in September and October to help the crop be strong from November to at least January, they said.

“Everything’s going well for the main crop. We expect lots of cocoa from October,” said Marcel Alleba, who farms near the western region of Soubre, where 11 millimetres (mm) of rain fell last week, 0.7 mm below the five-year average.

European Supermarket Magazine