Traders in Nigeria’s largest cocoa-producing region, Ibadan, have reported heavy rainfall on Friday, providing a much-needed boost to hopes for the 2023-24 midcrop harvest.
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According to trader Sola Ibikunle, the rainfall follows two earlier downpours in mid-March and the first week of the month, which aimed to alleviate the hot and dry conditions that had previously hindered cocoa growth.
Friday’s rainfall, which began in the afternoon in Oyo state, one of the five cocoa-producing states in the southwest, lasted for about one and a half hours.
Similar downpours were reported in the other cocoa-producing states, further enhancing soil moisture and aiding in the development of the midcrop cocoa.
Nigerian Meteorological Agency (Nimet) had forecasted adequate rainfall for Nigeria’s key cocoa-producing states in its Seasonal Climate Prediction report in March.
The anticipated annual rainfall of between 1,508 millimeters and 1,556 mm in southwestern states like Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti aligns well with cocoa’s requirements for successful growth, according to experts.
Toba Adenowuro, a former cocoa desk officer at the Ministry of Agriculture in Ondo state, Nigeria’s largest cocoa producer, highlighted cocoa’s need for rainfall between 1,250 mm and 2,500 mm to thrive.
The midcrop harvest, which contributes about 30% of Nigeria’s annual cocoa production of around 280,000 tons, is particularly crucial for the country’s cocoa industry.
With the southwest region accounting for 70% of the nation’s cocoa output, the recent rainfall bodes well for the upcoming harvest and the overall health of Nigeria’s cocoa sector.
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