Ivory Coast is the world's largest cocoa producer in its rainy season, but the heavy downpours typical of the season have been absent for more than a month.

Farmers are worried about their crop as they expect yield from the latest stage of the mid-crop to fall compared with those of last year, as younger pods are suffering from a lack of moisture. The yield from the trees will decrease because it isn't raining as it should be.

Famers said that the pods would not grow big enough and properly because the trees lack water. The market for their beans had weakened, with few buyers paying regular visits to farms. Major buyers had told them there was enough stock to export gradually should the rains not pick up again.