ABIDJAN, Sept 25 (Reuters) - A sunny spell would be needed next month to strengthen the October-to-March main crop and help fight the fungal black pod disease, farmers from Ivory Coast's main cocoa growing regions said on Monday.
Ivory Coast, the world's top cocoa producer, is in its rainy season which runs officially from April to mid-November.
Rains were below average last week but soil moisture content was enough to help with the growth of the main crop, farmers said.
They added that the harvest would be abundant and of good quality until late January if the weather remained sunny with adequate rains in October.
In some pockets of southern and eastern regions, farmers reported cases of the disease but added that the situation was not yet alarming.
In Abengourou and in Agboville, where rains were above average, as well as in Divo, where rains were below average, farmers said there were some cases of black pod disease on plantations. However, they added the cocoa prospect was good.
Farmers across the country said the harvest would be modest in October before increasing sharply from November to January and possibly experiencing a tight supply from mid-February.
"We don't have very large quantities on hand at the moment, but it's a good start because everyone is waiting for the new farmgate price," said Eugene Dali, who farms near the western region of Soubre, where 26.5 mm fell last week, 7.5 mm above the five-year average.
In the centre-western region of Daloa and in the central regions of Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro, where rainfall was below average, farmers said they were also waiting for the new farmgate price to rush into the bush.
"There are enough almost ripe pods on trees. There will be plenty of picking in October when the new price is announced,” said Albert N’Zue, who farms near Daloa, where 5.3 mm fell last week, 24.7 mm below the average.
The new farmgate price is expected to be announced at the end of September or at the beginning of October.
Ivory Coast's average temperatures ranged from 25.5 to 27.5 degrees Celsius last week. (Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly; Editing by Anait Miridzhanian and Alison Williams)
