ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Weather conditions last week in Ivory Coast's cocoa-growing regions boosted flowers on trees for the 2012/13 main cocoa crop, but more sunshine is needed in coming weeks to strengthen the crop, farmers and analysts said on Monday.
Farmers said the weather was mostly cloudy as the April-to-September mid-crop harvest tails off.
In the western region of Daloa, which produces about a quarter of Ivory Coast's national output, farmers reported one good downpour and mostly overcast weather during the week.
'Flowering is ongoing. The weather is not very sunny at the moment, but it is fine for now,' said Koffi M'Bra, who farms near Daloa. 'We will need more sunshine in order for the next main crop to develop properly.'
Similar growing conditions were reported in the southern regions of Divo and Agboville and in the western regions of Gagnoa and Duekoue.
In the southeastern region of Aboisso, one analyst reported 35 mm of rain fell over three days last week, compared with 35.1 mm the previous week. Farmers said a persistent lack of enough sunshine could hit the development of flowers and prevent a good start of the main crop.
'In July, the trees are covered with flowers and they need a lot of sunshine. If the weather stays overcast for several weeks, we'll not have cocoa at the start of harvest,' said Jean Tano, who farms in the outskirts of Aboisso.
In the western region of Soubre, in the heart of the Ivorian cocoa belt, 59 mm of rainfall was reported last week compared with 8 mm the previous week.
Farmers said more sun was needed to avoid diseases in plantations from next month and also ensure an abundant main crop.
'Rains in the past weeks enabled the trees to flower. What is needed now is a lot of sunshine. If not, brown rot will start appearing in some farms by next month,' said Stephane Balou, who farms in the area.
In the eastern region of Abengourou, another analyst reported 18 mm of rainfall last week, compared with 58 mm the week before.
Farmers said that, while plenty of flowers continued to sprout in farms, the fungal black pod disease was damaging many pods from the last stage of the mid-crop due to the humid weather.
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