Divisi
When to plant Cocoa in Moroni-Bambao
Grande Comore (Ngazidja), Comores
Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) is a small evergreen tree of the hot, wet tropics.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant (establish) | 28 Oct 2026 – 1 May 2027 opens in 4 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.4 t/ha | same |
| Bearing cycle | 150–180 days per crop once the plant is established. Planting to the first harvest takes longer than one cycle. | |
| Work it takes | 128–255 days per hectare, by hand | |
Rain-fed. These dates are worked out from each place's own rainfall, for a field watered by the season — with irrigation a window can open earlier, close later, or come round more than once a year. Check your own field under What grows, or get the Divisi app for a calendar dated to your farm.
If you only get one chance to plant, aim for around 1 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Moroni-Bambao is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 1 May 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Moroni-Bambao
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For cocoa in Moroni-Bambao, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 60%. You cannot flatten it, but you can farm it: plant along the contour rather than up and down, ridge or tie ridges to hold water on the slope, and expect shallower rooting than the crop would manage on flat ground.
The 2025 season in Moroni-Bambao
| When the rains are expected | August 2025 to August 2025 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 2,242 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 2,242 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 55% of this area. |
| 55% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 365 growing days · about 2,220 mm · August to August |
|---|---|
| 27% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 365 growing days · about 2,240 mm · September to September |
| 9% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 332 growing days · about 1,790 mm · October to August |
| 9% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 337 growing days · about 1,820 mm · September to September |
last updated 17 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What cocoa needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam, loam or clay loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 7.0 |
| Spacing | 300 cm between rows, 300 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | potassium |
What it takes to grow cocoa in Moroni-Bambao
| Planting material | About 1,100 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 56 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 20 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 105 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. A nitrogen top dressing — urea or AN — goes on once the crop is established. |
| Hand work | 128–255 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a cocoa crop of that size carries off the field. What you actually apply depends on what your soil already holds — which is what a soil test, or the app's field records, tell you.
What to watch for
Grow Cocoa with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Moroni-Bambao as a whole — your own soil, slope and rainfall will shift the dates. The Divisi app works them out for your field, and dates each job that follows.
Cocoa in nearby districts
This calendar moves
Planting windows shift with the forecast. Leave your email and we'll send what changed, and a note when planting time nears — a couple of emails a month at most.
Frequently asked questions
Will cocoa grow well in Moroni-Bambao?
Moroni-Bambao rates as favourable for cocoa.
When should I plant cocoa in Moroni-Bambao?
Typically 28 Oct 2026 to 1 May 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Moroni-Bambao, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
