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Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa producer, is facing growing concerns over cocoa quality and future supply following below-average rainfall across several major growing regions.
Farmers have reported difficulties supporting developing cocoa pods and properly drying harvested beans, raising concerns about the country’s upcoming 2026/27 main cocoa crop.
The concerns come as the West African nation enters a critical period for cocoa production, with farmers relying on sufficient rainfall to support crop development.
According to a Reuters report published on September 21, 2026, farmers in several cocoa-producing areas said recent rainfall had been insufficient, despite the country being in its rainy season, which typically runs from April to mid-November.
Poor rainfall threatens developing cocoa pods
One of the major concerns is the effect of inadequate rainfall on young cocoa pods developing for the next harvest.
Farmers say some of the pods are falling from trees, raising fears that continued dry conditions could affect production in the coming months.
Kouassi Kouame, a cocoa farmer near Soubré in western Côte d’Ivoire, warned that the timing of rainfall could influence the main crop harvesting period.
“If rains are not regular before mid-October, harvesting for the main crop will end in December,” he told Reuters.
Farmers have expressed concerns that a continued lack of regular rainfall could disrupt the development of cocoa and affect the timing and volume of the upcoming harvest.
Similar reports of below-average rainfall have emerged from Agboville, Abengourou, Divo, Daloa, Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro.
Cloudy weather affects cocoa bean quality
Beyond concerns about future production, farmers are also facing challenges with the quality of beans currently being harvested.
In Agboville, Abengourou and Divo, farmers have reported that cloudy weather is making it difficult to dry cocoa beans properly.
Proper drying is an important stage in cocoa processing, helping prepare the beans for storage, transportation and sale.
Insufficient drying can create quality concerns, potentially affecting the condition of beans supplied to buyers.
The reported challenges could therefore affect both the quantity of cocoa harvested and the quality of beans entering the market.
Concerns over 2026/27 cocoa supply
The latest reports add to earlier concerns about the timing of Côte d’Ivoire’s 2026/27 main cocoa crop.
An earlier warning indicated that the main crop could be delayed by eight to 10 weeks, raising questions about the timing of supplies from the world’s leading cocoa-producing country.
The latest rainfall concerns have added uncertainty to the outlook, particularly if regular rains do not return to key growing areas.
However, the full impact on production and supply has yet to be established.
Implications for the global cocoa market
Côte d’Ivoire plays a major role in the global cocoa industry, meaning developments affecting its harvest can attract attention from farmers, traders, chocolate manufacturers and other market participants.
Any sustained reduction in production or deterioration in bean quality could create additional challenges for cocoa supply chains.
For now, farmers are monitoring rainfall conditions as they continue harvesting and tending to developing pods.
The coming weeks, particularly the return of regular rainfall, will be important in determining how the reported conditions affect the country’s 2026/27 main crop.
The extent of any impact on total cocoa production and global supply remains uncertain.
