(Reuters) - Abundant rains mixed with sunny spells last week augured well for the main crop in some regions of the world's top cocoa producer, but the start of the dry season has raised concerns in other areas, farmers and analysts said on Monday.
Ivory Coast's main crop season opened on October 3 and harvesting is picking up as fears that hitches in the implementation of a sweeping reform of the sector could affect supplies have failed to materialise.
The dry season, which runs from mid-November to the end of March, is characterised by strong dry winds which could affect the size and quality of beans.
In the western region of Daloa, which produces a quarter of Ivory Coast's national output, farmers said there was no rainfall for a second week running.
Farmers said they feared that there would be beans shortage by next year if the drought persists.
"It is very hot and it has been two weeks now since we last had rains," said Desire M'Bra who farms on the outskirts of Daloa. "With this heat, and if the drought continues for several weeks, there will not be much cocoa from this zone next year."
In the western region of Bouafle, farmers said the weather was very hot and there has not been any rain in three weeks. "We are afraid ... If this continues, the quality of the cocoa will be bad next year and the harvest will be small," said Edouard Zan, who farms in the area.
The situation was different in the western region of Soubre, in the heart of the Ivorian cocoa belt, where an analyst reported 37mm of rainfall, up from 31mm the previous week.
"It rained for three days and the trees received abundant water, which makes us think that the main crop harvest will be long and bountiful," said Koffi Kouame, who farms in Soubre.
"There are plenty of pods on trees and the harvest will be abundant until the end of the year," Kouame added.
In the southeastern region of Aboisso, an analyst reported 3.4mm of rain last week, compared with 1.8mm the previous week. In the eastern region of Abengourou, another analyst reported 30mm of rain, compared with no rain the week before.
Similar growing conditions were reported in the coastal region of San Pedro, where farmers reported two abundant rain spells.
"It rained much on Saturday and Sunday. It was good for the trees just before the dry season begins," said farmer Labbe Zoungrana.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/weather-offers-mixed-bag-ivory-coast-main-crop-141124777--finance.html
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