A delay in government distribution of agricultural chemicals in Ivory Coast has hampered cocoa farmers’ ability to fight off an outbreak of disease ahead of the new crop season.The 2012/13 season gets under way in the world’s top grower with the marketing of the main crop harvest from October 1. Abundant showers since the rainy season began in April have raised farmers’ hopes of a robust start to the season.But unseasonably cool and overcast conditions during the critical months of July and August have led to an outbreak of the fungal black pod disease on plantations, left particularly vulnerable by a lack of chemical treatments.“If the farmers had been able to apply phytosanitary products, we wouldn’t have the cases of black pod that we’re seeing now,” said Joseph Amani, who farms in the eastern Abengourou region.Farmers in Ivory Coast typically apply pesticides and anti-fungal treatments twice a year, in July or August and then again in December or January, in order to boost yields and ensure bean quality.
