By Chijioke Ohuocha
ABUJA, May 10 (Reuters) - Nigeria's mid-crop cocoa output is
expected to rise following higher than expected rainfall which
has helped boost output for the 2020/21 season to an estimated
320,000 tonnes, the president of the Cocoa Association said.
Nigeria is the world's fifth biggest cocoa grower, and its
mid-crop - harvested between May and September - comes in at
between 50,000 and 60,000 tonnes when weather conditions are
good and chemicals readily available to spray any diseased
trees.
"The production is promising due to the consistent
rainfall," Cocoa Association President Mufutau Abolarinwa said,
referring to the mid-crop. "Production is likely to increase
from what we used to have."
Abolarinwa told Reuters average rainfall between July and
August reduced the need for frequent spraying of trees.
Output for the 2020/21 season had been projected to drop by
at least 20% due to the expectation that measures to curb the
spread of COVID-19 pandemic would hamper farming
services.
The 2019/20 season reached an estimated output of 250,000
tonnes. The International Cocoa Organization had forecast
260,000 tonnes.
Cocoa trees need a delicate balance of rain and dry weather.
Too little rain and they wither; too much and they become
susceptible to insects or fungal black pod disease. Beans can
also go mouldy if farmers are unable to dry them outside.
Cocoa analyst Robo Adhuse said the rains relieved stress on
the trees but added that more rainfall could increase the
incidence of disease and insects.
Abolarinwa said demand for beans has been sluggish with
contracts coming mostly from Asia, which priced Nigerian cocoa
at differentials of between 160 pounds to 200 pounds ($279.56)
less the market price due to weak international demand.
The low demand for beans has spilled over to processed
cocoa, he said. Nigeria processes some cocoa, but mostly it
exports beans.
"There is virtually no demand for butter and cake," said
Felix Oladunjoye, secretary to Nigerian cocoa processors. "A lot
of factories are carrying cocoa butter from 2019."
($1 = 0.7154 pounds)