More rains, sun needed to boost Ivory Coast cocoa crop, farmers say

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Rains were mainly below average last week in most of Ivory Coast's main cocoa regions, with more rains mixed with sun needed in September and October to boost the October-to-March main crop's duration and size, farmers said on Monday.

Ivory Coast, the world's top cocoa producer, is in its rainy season, which runs officially from April to mid-November, when rains are abundant and often heavy.

Most farmers across the country said harvesting has started slowly and would pick up in September and October as plenty of pods were ripening on trees.

Farmers said more rains and sunny spells were needed in September and October to help the main crop grow abundantly and remain of good quality until February.

They said an intense wave of cool weather two weeks ago did not subside last week, but that there was no sign of damage on plantations from it.

In the western region of Soubre and the southern regions of Agboville and Divo, where rains were below the average, and in the eastern region of Abengourou, where rains were above the average, farmers said the April-to-September mid-crop would finish strong in September as plenty of beans would leave the bush.

They also said there were plenty of pods on trees to ensure a strong start of the main crop in October.

"If it rains normally in the next two months with a lot of sunshine, we will have a lot of beans from October until February," said Kouassi Kouame, who farms near Soubre, where 4.4 millimetres (mm) fell last week, 10.8 mm below the five-year average.

In the centre-western region of Daloa and the central region of Yamoussoukro, where rains were below average, and in the central region of Bongouanou, where rains were above the average last week, farmers said harvesting of the main crop would start early in several areas compared with last season.

"There are already harvests. From the end of September, the planters will have a lot of beans to sell," said Etienne Kacou, who farms near Daloa, where 16.5 mm fell last week, 8.6 mm below the five-year average.

The weekly average temperature ranged from 24 to 26 degrees Celsius.

(Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly; Editing by Portia Crowe and Sharon Singleton)