ABIDJAN, Dec 11 (Reuters) - A combination of above average rain and sunshine in most of Ivory Coast's cocoa growing regions last week is likely to boost the October-to-March main crop, farmers said on Monday.
The world's top cocoa producer is in its dry season, which runs from mid-November to March.
Farmers across the country said there had still been five consecutive weeks of above average rain, which improved yields on trees. They expected plenty of pods to be harvested between January and March.
Soil moisture was enough to sustain crops until at least February, they added.
Rainfall was above average in the western region of Soubre, the southern regions of Agboville and Divo, and the eastern region of Abengourou. Farmers there said amounts harvested were likely to increase.
"There is a lot of harvesting at the moment and there will be more in January," said Benoit Kouassi, who farms near Agboville, where 23.9 millimetres (mm) of rain fell last week, 12.8 mm above the five-year average.
Rainfall was also above average in the centre-western region of Daloa and in the central regions of Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro. Farmers there also said the soil was moist enough to sustain their cocoa trees throughout the dry season.
"The vegetation on our fields is very lush. Trees will be resistant during the dry season," said Gustave Koffi, who farms near Daloa, where 8 mm of rain fell last week, 3.6 mm above the five-year average. Average temperatures ranged between 27.5 and 29.6 degrees Celsius. (Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly Editing by Sofia Christensen and Barbara Lewis)
