High heat harms cocoa production in Cote d'Ivoire

ABIDJAN, April 13 (Xinhua) -- The heatwave in Cote d'Ivoire is harming the cocoa sector, causing a production decline.

"The severity of the heat had a considerable effect on our products. The cocoa sector was particularly affected by this historic heatwave, which significantly reduced yields," said Ehora Yao, president of the collective of agricultural production cooperatives of Indenie-Djuablin, a region located in the east of the country.

As this region is one of the large cocoa production areas of Cote d'Ivoire, this situation has caused production to drop from more than 95,000 tonnes in previous years to 70,000 tonnes this year, he added.

"This year, producers are facing the El Nino phenomenon with warming temperatures. This has reduced cocoa production and many producers nationally have lost their production," added the forestry expert Jean-Paul Aka.

Cote d'Ivoire, the world's top cocoa producer, has been battling prolonged heatwaves triggered by the El Nino climate pattern for several months.

In March, the country recorded a record temperature of 39 degrees Celcius.

The Airport, Aeronautical, and Meteorological Operation and Development Company attributes the intensifying heatwaves across Cote d'Ivoire to "high solar radiation and the early onset of humid winds." ■