Heavy rains are needed in Ivory Coast to compensate for below-average rainfall last week and fortify the last stage of the April-to-September midcrop in the country's main cocoa producing regions, farmers said on Monday.

Ivory Coast, the world's top cocoa producer, is in its rainy season, which runs officially from April to mid-November, when rains are abundant and often heavy.

Cocoa growers said sufficient rain in May and June would be crucial for crop development in August and September, as many small and average pods developing on trees need more moisture.

"We need abundant rains as we have plenty of small pods on trees that need moisture," said Paul Adou, who farms near Soubre in southwest Ivory Coast, where 0.8 mm fell last week, 28.5 mm below the five-year average.

In addition to Soubre, rains were below average in the southern regions of Agboville and Divo and in the eastern region of Abengourou, farmers said.

Irregular rainfall in the west-central region of Daloa and in the central regions of Bongouanou and Yamoussoukro also threaten small pods, farmers said.

"If it doesn't rain well until the end of the month, we won't have much cocoa at the end of the mid-crop," said Albert N'Zue, who farms near Daloa, where 4.5 mm fell last week, 17.8 mm below the five-year average.

Farmers also said harvesting was picking up, that the availability of beans was expected to continue rising until late June and that buyers have been happy with the quality.

The weekly average temperature ranged from 27.4 to 31.1 degrees Celsius.