There is a bug that locals call the cocoa akati. It is a parasite that harms and feeds off of the cocoa plant. While this is a threat to many farmers, many of them deal with the pest by doing mass sprayings in hopes of preserving the fruit. Excess rain also causes this problem, which is called the black pod. Although rain is crucial for the bloom of cocoa, too much can cause the seeds to rot. During Ghana's rainy season, which is typically from May to June, this is particularly a problem because of the increase in rainfall. Right now we have been experiencing an abnormal amount of rain that comes down hard and out of no where!
