El Niño threatens West Africa's cocoa producers
The weather phenomenon has been known to intensify the yearly Harmattan winds, which dry out topsoil and cause pods to fall.
West Africa's cocoa industry faces severe danger from the ongoing El Niño weather phenomenon, which could be the most intense on record. This climatic event is notorious for intensifying Harmattan winds, which dry out soil and cause cocoa pods to prematurely fall. Côte d'Ivoire, the world's leading cocoa producer, is projected to experience a significant drop in its output, roughly 20%, according to Bloomberg's report.
El Niño is set to worsen the situation in Ghana, a neighboring country, by exacerbating torrential rains that have already damaged crops and heightening the risk of black pod disease, which can devastate cocoa plants. The International Finance Corporation (IIF) has issued a warning that El Niño is not the only food product at risk in Africa.
The extreme weather conditions, whether in the form of flooding or drought, could negatively impact the continent's agricultural sector as a whole. This could lead to food inflation across much of Africa.
The IIF report highlights that many African economies are in a weaker economic state compared to the robust 2015-2016 El Niño. The current economic weak spot is attributed to higher oil prices, which have increased transport costs, and a strong US dollar.
Written by urgent.news from Semafor's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
