Ivory Coast's cocoa regions experienced above-average rainfall last week, leading to flooding in plantations and raising concerns about the upcoming main crop, according to farmers on Monday.
The heavy rain during the country's rainy season, which runs from April to mid-November, has hindered farmers' access to their crops and increased the risk of diseases. Additionally, the lack of sunshine is further exacerbating the situation.
Farmers warned that continued heavy rain could disrupt the start of the next main crop as it could knock flowers off trees. The ongoing mid-crop from April to September has also seen low yields.
Arsene Kouao, a farmer from the eastern region of Abengourou, reported that the incessant showers and flooding have prevented farmers from reaching their fields.
In other cocoa-growing regions, including Soubre in the west and Agboville in the south, rainfall was significantly above average, causing concerns about the potential damage to new flowers and the subsequent impact on the next main crop.
However, farmers in Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro, located in central regions with above-average rainfall, remained optimistic, highlighting the need for sunshine in the coming days to support cocoa growth.
Meanwhile, the center-western region of Daloa experienced below-average rainfall.
Last week, temperatures ranged between 24.8 degrees and 28.5 degrees Celsius (76.64°F and 83.3°F) on average.
The excessive rainfall and its implications on the cocoa industry in Ivory Coast are raising concerns among farmers as they anticipate the start of the next main crop season.