CRA: Weather in Cocoa Growing Areas Through 28 June 2025

West Africa. Since CRA’s weather report for 21 Jun, rain has increased in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. Some parts of the cocoa areas have seen amounts like those seen in 2023. In that year, extreme rain during Jun-Jul contributed to 23/24 crop losses by knocking flowers from trees and creating constant high humidity to promote the Black Pod fungus. In Côte d’Ivoire, rain has been heaviest in the southwest, especially on the coast. National stations on the coast (Sassandra, San-Pédro, Tabou) reported 642 mm through 20 Jun compared with 741 mm in 2023. However, the amounts decrease quickly moving away from the coast. The 30-day average at three Veriground stations in the southwest, two 10-15 km inland, was 429 mm through 28 Jun.  The closest inland national station (Gagnoa) has reported 228 this year vs. 237 in 2023. Twenty Veriground stations near Gagnoa reported an average of 170 mm vs. 251 mm through 28 Jun.

Although rain along the coast of Côte d’Ivoire has been heavy, it has not reached the amounts seen in 2023. Also, inland amounts slip quickly to about normal rain-season levels. Residents report no Black Pod.

Average rain across Ghana’s cocoa region also has been high and about the same as in Côte d’Ivoire. However, rain has spread more evenly. The largest 30-day amounts have fallen in the northwest, around Sunyani, and reached 300 mm. The largest amounts elsewhere have been around 200 mm.

Charts of regional rain in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana are available at the Veriground website. The website shows the locations of Veriground stations. Extracts of charts for southwest Côte d’Ivoire and northwest Ghana are available immediately without registration or searching at the news page of the website.

Other areas. Heavy rain has reached the western cocoa area of Nigeria. Rain in Ecuador has slowed with the season leaving cumulative totals ahead of normal. In Brazil, rain near Bahia’s cocoa area remains close to normal. Rain in Para has returned to slightly better than normal. Rain in Peru’s cocoa area still is cycling around normal but a dry period in Jan-Feb has depressed year-to-date totals.  Sulawesi rain has slowed to normal or less but the year’s cumulative exceeds normal. ENSO. No change. NOAA expects neutral conditions to continue or slip toward a La Niña.