Ghana’s anticipated cocoa production recovery is facing challenges as hot and dry weather conditions in the southwest, a key production area, have led to the withering of flowering pods. Francis Agyabeng, a farmer from Yakase, reported that not only are cocoa pods suffering, but other crops like vegetables are also being affected.
Ghana had aimed to increase cocoa production to 700,000 tonnes in 2024-25, after recent years of decline due to bad weather, disease, and a shortage of fertilisers.
In contrast, cocoa plantations in other West African regions are faring better, with farmers in Cameroon and Nigeria reporting favourable conditions and optimistic outlooks for the next season. In Nigeria, reduced rainfall is seen positively, as it lessens the threat of pests and crop diseases.
The situation highlights the complex and varied challenges cocoa farmers face across West Africa, with weather patterns playing a critical role in determining the success of upcoming harvests.
This could have implications for global cocoa supply, which has been under pressure in recent years due to similar environmental factors.
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