CRA: Weather in Cocoa Growing Areas Through 25 March 2025

West Africa. Rain in the cocoa areas of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana has followed the average week-to-week pattern of recent years. In Côte d’Ivoire, Veriground stations reported 65 mm average per site during the latest 30 days compared to past amounts of 52-119 mm on matching days of the pr

evious five years. The 119 mm that fell during 2023 was the early phase of the extreme rains in the southwest that contributed to the 23/24 crop losses. The other years saw 52-75 mm. At least 60 of the 76 sites have reported rain at least every 10 days since early Mar. In Ghana, Veriground stations reported 62 mm during the latest 30 days compared to a history of 35-94 mm during matching days of recent years. Again, the high amount occurred during 2023. Forty of 47 sites have seen rain at least every 10 days since early Mar.

Nigeria. There have been no reports of rain from national stations in the western cocoa area of Nigeria. Europe’s ERA5 monitoring shows rain spreading northward into the central cocoa area. Residents of the cocoa area report light showers during Mar.

Forecasts: Substantial rain is projected today and tomorrow for almost all Veriground sites in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, then slowing. Cycles of a week or two are typical for West Africa.

Other areas. Rain at Veriground sites in Ecuador has been reaching above average levels. Veriground stations reported 91 mm average during the latest 10 days and 220 mm during the latest 30 days. National stations confirm that rain has been in heavy several cocoa areas such as around Guayaquil in the south and Santo Domingo in the north. There have been some reports of flooding. Peru’s met office reports that rain in the cocoa area has returned to near normal. In Brazil, rain near Bahia’s cocoa slowed during mid Mar. The accumulation over recent months appears to be returning to normal. Rain in Para still is high at about one third more than normal during the latest two months. Rain in Sulawesi has been close to normal. ENSO. Unchanged and no new information. In its report for Mar, NOAA expected the current mild La Niña to fade to neutral during Mar-May.