The world's leading producer and exporter of cocoa faces a dire outlook after an abnormally dry stretch at the end of 2024 left the nation's farmers concerned about crop yields.
What's happening?
According to Reuters, many of Ivory Coast's primary cocoa-growing regions failed to receive any rain in the penultimate week of December.
While the nation typically experiences minimal precipitation during its dry season from mid-November to March, the complete absence of rain in cities like Daloa, Bongouanou, Yamoussoukro, and Abengourou has some farmers concerned.
"We didn't get a single drop of rain. It's not good for the end of the main crop and the beginning of the mid-crop," Faustin Konan, who works outside of Daloa, added.
Why is the lack of rain concerning?
The cocoa plants need rain to stimulate flowering and facilitate the development of pods. Additionally, steady precipitation every 10 days in January can improve the bean yield and quality from February.
Though the farmers believe they can harvest enough pods in January from the October-to-March main crop, the yield may begin to decline starting next month.
Compounding the issue is the high temperatures, which ranged between 26 to 28.2 degrees Celsius. "The weather is very hot, so we need well-distributed rainfall in January for trees to produce well," said Kouassi Kouame, who farms near Soubre.
The arid conditions also have coincided with the Harmattan, which blows through the Western Sahara from December to March. The seasonal wind is dry and dusty, dehydrating the soil and ultimately leading to smaller pods.
It's a problem of particular concern to Ivory Coast, as cocoa harvesting and processing accounted for a nation-high 32% of its exports in 2023, valued at $5.8 billion.
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What's being done about cocoa crop yields in dry areas?
Poor environmental circumstances driven by anthropogenic activity have affected cocoa producers globally, sending prices skyrocketing.
However, researchers are working to find solutions to preserve the stability of the chocolate market and offset the unpredictability of extreme weather events.
For example, scientists found three new species in South America closely related to theobroma cacao trees, offering the potential to cross-breed or genetically modify a crop with more drought-resistant characteristics.
Additionally, a German team found an unexpected relationship that can help improve the growth of cocoa trees.
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