Ivory Coast's 2019/20 cocoa main crop is expected to be between 1.65 million and 1.7 million tonnes, broadly in line with the 1.66 million tonnes in the previous season, according to a poll of seven exporters and pod counters.
The outlook for the October-March main crop is up from 1.58 million tonnes predicted by pod counters and exporters in July and comes after weeks of favourable weather, they said.
Treating the cocoa trees has helped beat back disease, boosting the crop's potential. Those polled noted an increase in flowers on the trees in recent weeks, with pods of varying sizes.
"Our first forecast was not so good but it gradually improved when the rains became more regular and when the treatments started to take effect. Now we see the harvest around 1.7 million tonnes," said one pod counter.
News by Reuters, edited by ESM. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
