Above-average rainfall in key regions of Côte d'Ivoire's cocoa production will increase average productivity from April to September, but droughts in the center of the country raise concerns - local farmers expressed such crop types on Monday March 25.

Côte d'Ivoire, the world's largest cocoa producer, has entered the rainy season, which runs from mid-March to late October. "Precipitation will be more abundant in the coastal and southern regions starting in April," a government meteorologist told Reuters. He refused to identify himself because he did not receive permission to disclose this information.

Farmers said that a large number of large pods on the trees are already ripe and should bring a healthy crop in April and May, and good rain this week will help the crop.

“Many farmers are harvesting at the moment. They hope that the average price of the crop will remain at $ 1.3 per kilogram, ”said Koffi Kuame, a farmer working in the vicinity of Subre. Data collected by Reuters showed that rainfall in Subre, including the Sassandra and San regions -Pedro, last week it was at the level of 23.3 mm, which is 8.2 mm higher than the average for five years.

Rainfall last week was higher than average in the southern regions of Agboville and Divo and in the eastern region of Abengourou. According to the farmers, good quality beans will appear if rain continues next month.