Cocoa prices surged to five-and-a-half-month highs on Thursday, driven by mounting concerns over the upcoming West African crop. September ICE NY cocoa closed up 274 dollars, or 5.51 percent, while July ICE London cocoa closed up 173 pounds, or 4.63 percent. Heavy rains in Ivory Coast and Ghana have flooded roads, cutting off farmers’ access to farms and ports and threatening global supplies, with accumulated June rainfall already near typical full-month averages. Excessive moisture also raises the risk of brown rot disease, further jeopardizing yields. Additional support came from the confirmation of an El Niño weather pattern, which typically brings drier conditions to West Africa, and early surveys showing below-average cherelle formation for the 2026/27 main crop.