Ivory Coast weather to boost cocoa mid-crop, rain needed in east

ABIDJAN

, Feb 20 (

Reuters

) - Rain last week in most of

Ivory Coast

's main cocoa growing regions will help produce an abundant April-to-September mid-crop,

farmers

said on Monday, though dry, hot weather was damaging flowers in the east. The dry season in the world's top cocoa producer runs from mid-November to March. It has been less severe this year than last year and cocoa production is expected to hit a record high of nearly 2 million tonnes this season. "We couldn't imagine at the beginning of the season that we would have so much rain this month," said

Salame Kone

, who farms in the western region of

Soubre

, at the heart of the cocoa belt. "There are many flowers and small pods on the trees compared to last season. We expect an abundant and good quality mid-crop from April onwards," Kone said. Farmers reported similar growing conditions in the southern region of

Divo

, where there was one heavy rainfall last week. "The weather is not bad. There is rain and heat," said

Amadou Diallo

, who farms in the outskirts of Divo, adding that the good weather would need to continue into March to ensure a healthy crop. Good growing conditions were also reported in the southern regions of Aboisso, Agboville and

Tiassale

, and in the western regions of

Duekoue

and

Gagnoa

. But in the eastern region of

Abengourou

, known for the quality of its beans, farmers said hot weather and a lack of rain had damaged flowers and threatened to reduce the mid-crop size. "There is no rain and it's been very hot for three weeks. Lots of flowers have started to dry out and fall off the trees," said

Lambert Kouassi

, who farms near Abengourou. In the centre-western region of

Daloa

, which accounts for about a quarter of national output, farmers reported good rain last week but said it was too late to boost mid-crop production. "The rain did not come at the right time. There are few pods on many of the plantations. Our mid-crop will be late and small in volume," said

Raphael Kouadio

, who farms near Daloa. (Reporting by Loucoumane Coulibaly; editing by

Nellie Peyton

and David Clarke)