The worst Harmattan winds to hit Africa's top cocoa producers in several years may lower light-crop output, farmers, exporters and analysts said on Friday, dimming hopes that they can make up ground after a slow start to the season.
The dry seasonal winds began to blow down from the Sahara last month, blanketing much of West Africa's cocoa-growing regions in dust, blocking out sunlight, and lowering temperatures.
The impact was visible in the world's top two producers, Ivory Coast and Ghana, but farmers in Nigeria and Cameroon said their light crop - which typically produces smaller, lower-quality beans - had not been affected.
Farmers in top grower Ivory Coast said the Harmattan had hindered development of the April-to-September mid-crop.
"Last year at this time we had lots of flowers and cherelles (small pods) on the trees. But this year there's nothing," said Diedie Biali, who farms near the western town of Meagui.
Cocoa arrivals at Ivorian ports were around 11 percent lower than last season's bumper crop by Jan. 11, according to exporter estimates.
"The latter half of the main crop is kind of a done deal. So whatever effect (the Harmattan) will have will be on the mid-crop," said Victoria Crandall, soft commodities analyst with Ecobank.
She said some exporters thought the Harmattan might simply reduce bean size. Others, however, predicted output losses. Continued...
View article on single page
Prev
No comments:
Post a Comment