Divisi
When to plant Cocoa in Maniema
République démocratique du Congo
Known here as kakao · cacao · cacaoyer
Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) is a small evergreen tree of the hot, wet tropics.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant (establish) | 26 Aug 2026 – 3 Jan 2027 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.4 t/ha | about 1.9 t/ha |
| 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 25 Sep 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Maniema leans wet. Plant at the early end of the window, and make sure water can drain off the field — a wet year does more damage through waterlogging than through the rain itself.
Planting after 3 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Maniema
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For cocoa in Maniema, the soil is the tightest of the three at 76%. This is the one you can actually move. Lime raises a sour soil, manure and compost lift what it holds, and both work within a season or two — money spent here changes the answer.
The 2026 season in Maniema
| When the rains are expected | June 2026 to June 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,371 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 1,206 mm in the driest of 8 districts to about 1,590 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — make sure water can drain off the field. |
| 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 | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 62% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 350 growing days · about 1,430 mm · July to June |
|---|---|
| 31% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 281 growing days · about 1,210 mm · August to May |
| 6% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 253 growing days · about 1,080 mm · September to May |
last updated 16 September 2026 · from all 8 areas within it
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 Maniema
| 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 Maniema 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 Maniema?
Maniema rates as favourable for cocoa.
When should I plant cocoa in Maniema?
Typically 26 Aug 2026 to 3 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Maniema, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
