But showers continued into early December on many plantations this year, providing a boost to crop development and ensuring a steady harvest into January, farmers said. Meanwhile, an analyst said the dry Harmattan winds, which blow south from the Sahara Desert from December to March, had arrived in the central areas of Ivory Coast, although they had yet to reach the cocoa regions. "The Harmattan has arrived in the north and centre of the country. The winds are moving towards the coast," said an Abidjan-based meteorologist who asked not to be named.
A strong Harmattan can dry the soil and prevent cocoa trees from developing new pods, though it tends to improve the quality of beans already harvested and in storage. In the western region of Soubre, in the heart of the Ivorian cocoa belt, an analyst reported hot weather and no showers, compared with 38 mm of rainfall the previous week. Farmers said harvesting was picking up sharply. "It hasn't rained, but that's fine. We aren't yet feeling the Harmattan here. There is lots of fog in the morning," said Salam Kone, who farms near Soubre.
"It's good weather for drying beans. There is a lot of cocoa in the villages, and we're also seeing many trucks coming to pick up cocoa," he said. In the south-eastern region of Aboisso, an analyst also reported no rainfall, compared with 9 mm the previous week. "It's very hot here. If this heat continues and we see a very strong Harmattan, there could be a big drop in harvesting," said Aboisso farmer Jean Tano.