CRA: Weather in Cocoa Growing Areas Through 4 July 2025

West Africa. After a short period of very heavy rain in the southwest of Côte d’Ivoire, primarily at the coast, rain there has been declining.  Across the majority of the cocoa area, rain has been typical for Jun-Jul. Except at the southwest coast, Veriground stations report 125-195 mm during the latest 30 days. Rain has continued across the cocoa growing area with about 50 mm in the latest 10 days. Ground moisture accumulation should support good development of the 25/26 main crop during the often-dry period of Aug-Sep. Ground moisture is important during Aug-Sep because, with good moisture, trees produce large beans with high fat content. There have been no reports of Black Pod outbreaks.

Ghana’s cocoa area also has been seeing simi

lar rain. The area of heaviest rain has been in the northwest instead of at the coast. Rain there has been about 250 mm during the latest 30 days. Rain elsewhere has been 150-200 mm. Like in Côte d’Ivoire, Veriground stations report around 50 mm during the latest 10 days.

There have been a few reports from the WMO and via anecdote that point to strong storms also in Nigeria during recent weeks.

Other areas. Unchanged in Ecuador. Rain there has slowed with the season, leaving cumulative totals ahead of normal. In Brazil, also unchanged. Rain in Bahia near the cocoa area has fluctuated around normal during 2025 and cumulative rain has been normal. However, this is much less than Jan-Jun rain of 2022-2024. Each of these years were very wet in the first six months. Rain in Para has returned to slightly better than normal and cumulative rain for 2025 also has exceeded 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. NOAA has not yet issued its monthly report about the ENSO. In Jun, NOAA expected neutral conditions to continue or to slip toward a La Niña.