ABIDJAN, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Cocoa farmers in Ivory Coast on Tuesday said they were optimistic about the October-to-March main crop despite two weeks without rain in most growing regions and an uptick in dry Harmattan winds in central regions.
The world's top cocoa producer is in its dry season, which runs officially from mid-November to March. Rains are poor and scarce.
The Harmattan, characterised by very dry and strong winds blown from the Sahara region towards West Africa, also occurs from December to March. It can damage crops when strong.
Several farmers across the country said there were plenty of ripe pods on trees and expected abundant harvests until at least late January.
In central regions, farmers said the intensity of the Harmattan had picked up but was not affecting the crop for the time being.
"The Harmattan is a bit strong but trees are not suffering for the moment," said Alexandre Mea, who farms near the centre-western region of Daloa, where there was no rain last week, 3.4 mm below a five-year average.
Farmers reported similar conditions in the central regions of Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro, in the western region of Soubre, the southern regions of Agboville and Divo and in the eastern region of Abengourou.
Farmers there said the Harmattan was mild and cocoa deliveries were on the rise.
"The weather is good. A lot of cocoa is leaving the bush. The Harmattan is not strong," said Salame Kone, who farms near Soubre.
Average temperatures ranged between 24.6 and 27 degrees Celsius last week. (Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly Editing by Sofia Christensen and Nick Macfie)
