The world’s top cocoa producer is in its dry season, which runs from mid-November to March, when downpours are scarce. But farmers said recent rains had improved prospects for cocoa trees to reach their maximum potential in February and March.

“It is raining heavily. This is very good for the rest of the (marketing) campaign,” said Edouard Bogui, who farms near the western region of Soubre, which recorded 25.3 millimetres of rain last week, 21 mm above the five-year average.

While farmers expect harvesting to slow from mid-January, they said there would be more beans and of better quality in February and March than at the same time last season.

In the west-central region of Daloa and in the central regions of Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro, where rains were above average, farmers said significant volumes of beans would continue to leave the bush until late March.

–Reuters–