More sun needed to strengthen Ivory Coast cocoa crop, farmers say

ABIDJAN, July 13 (Reuters) - Below-average rainfall in Ivory Coast's cocoa-growing regions helped dry the damp soil last week but more sunny spells are needed to boost ‌the September-to-February main crop, farmers said on Monday.

• The world's top cocoa producer is ‌currently in its rainy season, which typically runs from April to mid-November.

• After heavy rains flooded plantations in some ​regions in late June, farmers said soil moisture remained very high and more sunny spells were needed to avoid crop diseases.

• Farmers said they expect to have a clearer indication of the size of the next main crop by late August.

• They added that flowering would continue until ‌September and the size of the ⁠crop would depend on the number of flowers that would survive and turn into small pods.

• "Flowers are blooming. It's very cloudy, even though we ⁠need plenty of sunshine," said Salame Kone, who farms near the western region of Soubre, where 7.3 millimetres (mm) of rain fell last week, 23.6 mm below the five-year average. He added the situation ​was ​not yet alarming.

• In the southern regions of Agboville ​and Divo and in the eastern ‌region of Abengourou, where rains were below average, farmers said the sky was regularly overcast, preventing plantations from benefiting from sunny spells.

• They added it was crucial for the trees to get a good mix of sun and rains during this month for an adequate development of the crop.

• In the west-central region of Daloa and in the central regions of Bongouanou ‌and Yamoussoukro, where rains were below average, farmers said ​a mix of flowers and young pods, known as ​cherelles, were appearing on trees.

• However, ​farmers feared a cold wind blowing since Friday could damage the crop. ‌They also said supply from the bush ​was scarce at the moment ​as the mid-crop was nearing its end.

• "It feels cold, and there's no sun. This can slow the growth of flowers," said Florent Koua, who farms near Daloa, where ​4.2 mm of rain fell ‌last week, 19 mm below the five-year average.

• Weekly temperatures across Ivory Coast ​ranged between 24.4 and 28.1 degrees Celsius (76 and 83 degrees Fahrenheit).

(Reporting by Loucoumane ​Coulibaly; Editing by Anait Miridzhanian and Susan Fenton)