Divisi
When to plant Cocoa in Tanga Urban
Tanga, United Republic of Tanzania
Known here as kakao
Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) is a small evergreen tree of the hot, wet tropics.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant (establish) | 17 Feb 2027 – 6 May 2027 opens in 20 weeks | 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 15 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Tanga Urban 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 6 May 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Tanga Urban
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For cocoa in Tanga Urban, 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 2026/27 season in Tanga Urban
| When the rains are expected | February 2026 to January 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,236 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — October, November and December look heavier than usual. Make sure water can drain off the field; a wet year does more damage through waterlogging and disease than through the rain itself. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.0 °C over the growing months. Heat makes the same rain do less, so a dry spell bites sooner: do not plant late, and shade or mulch what you can. |
| 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 the largest that farms — about 85% of this area. |
| 85% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 334 growing days · about 1,220 mm · February to January |
|---|---|
| 6% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 299 growing days · about 1,060 mm · February to December |
| 6% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 303 growing days · about 1,100 mm · February to December |
last updated 16 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 Tanga Urban
| 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 Tanga Urban 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 Tanga Urban?
Tanga Urban rates as favourable for cocoa.
When should I plant cocoa in Tanga Urban?
Typically 17 Feb 2027 to 6 May 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Tanga Urban, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
