(Ecofin Agency) - In Nigeria, the operators of cocoa sector forecast a 15% increase in production during the 2017/2018 mid-crop, which begins by April / May.

According to Savina Riman, head of Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN), adequate sunshine and good rainfall will help harvest 290,000 tons of cocoa. This contrasts with the 40% decline a year earlier, due to drought.

Regarding the main season, the official said that the dry weather that strikes the growing areas could cause the country to miss its production target of between 300,000 tons and 320,000 tons.

Let’s recall that Nigeria, which is the world sixth-largest cocoa supplier, produced 225, 000 tons of the beans during the 2016/2017 season.

Espoir Olodo