What is the process of cocoa farming?
The production of chocolate
- Introduction.
- Harvesting Cocoa & Cocoa processing.
- Step #1: Plucking and opening the Pods.
- Step #2: Fermenting the cocoa seeds.
- Step #3: Drying the cocoa seeds.
- Manufacturing Chocolate.
- Step #1: Roasting and Winnowing the Cocoa.
- Step #2: Grinding the Cocoa Nibs.
Can you grow cocoa in the Philippines?
Cacao is considered an equatorial crop (crops that thrives well on regions occupying the equator), the Philippines has a great potential growing cacao. There are many varieties of cacao but the National Seed Industry Council has registered and approved only 9 varieties/clones of cacao.
Is cocoa farming profitable in Philippines?
Farmers can earn as much as P100,000 per hectare per year if they go into cacao farming, said Valente Turtur, chairperson of the Philippine Cacao Industry Council. Even small-scale farmers, with farms of around 1,000 square meters, can go into cacao farming, Turtur said.
What are the requirements for growing cocoa?
Deep and well-drained soils are critical for this crop, and poorly drained soil will hinder its growth. Most areas engaged in cocoa farming have clay loam or sandy loam soils with a pH range of 6.5 to 7.0. What’s more, cocoa trees benefit from being in an area where water is readily available.
What is cocoa in agriculture?
Cocoa is a crop of humid tropics and so it was introduced as a mixed crop in India in areas where the environments suit the crop. It is cultivated in coconut and arecanut plantations large scale from 1970 onwards. It is grown as an under- storey intercrop with sufficient shade in southern states of India.
What type of soil does cocoa grow in?
While the trees are more adapted to a rich loam growing soil, they can also be cultivated in sandy soils. Dig a hole that is larger than the root ball of the tree your are planting to ensure that the sandy soil is well-loosened.
How profitable is cacao farming?
The average cocoa farm will produce one or two tonnes of cocoa beans a year; one tonne is 16 sacks of cocoa. The average farmer will make between $1,400-$2,000 profit a year, at most about $5 a day, which will need to support 6-10 dependants.
Is cocoa farming a good business?
But not enough of that money is reaching farmers. A recent survey by Fairtrade International found that the average household income of cocoa farmers in West Africa is $2707/year, which is only about a third of what would be considered a livable income.
Who brought cocoa to the Philippines?
Spanish galleon
The cacao plant was primarily brought to the Philippines in the 1700s when a Spanish galleon from Mexico transported pure Criollo, considered to be one of the best kinds of cacao, from Mesoamerica to the Pacific.
What climate do you need to grow cocoa?
Much like their parent trees, cocoa beans need constant warm temperatures in order to thrive – usually between 65 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit – along with high humidity and ample rainfall (40-100 inches annually). Cold, drought, and excessive wind are all detrimental to cocoa.
What is the best climate for growing cocoa?
According to Purdue University, cacao trees can tolerate temperatures as high as around 95 degrees Fahrenheit and as low as 55 degrees. Minimum temperatures above 65 degrees and an average temperature of around 80 degrees are recommended for optimal growth.
Where do cocoa plants grow?
The Theobroma cacao tree originated in the upper Amazon basin region (Brazil, Colombia, and Peru). Today, cacao is grown by 40-50 million cocoa farmers in more than 50 countries around the world. 90% of the world’s cocoa is grown on small family farms, while only 5% is grown on larger commercial plantations.
How many tons of cocoa beans does the Philippines produce?
Production of cocoa beans in the Philippines peaked in the 1990s at 35,000 tons and has since declined due to aging trees, depressed producer prices and climatic conditions. As a result, by 2015, the Philippines produced only 6,020 tons of cocoa beans.
Why are there so many farmers growing cocoa?
The climatic conditions and soil characteristics are conducive to growing cocoa. There is presently an increasing interest from local farmers because local and international demand for cocoa products is way beyond the production capacity of the country and world prices have been constantly favorable.
Where are the cocoa farms in the Philippines?
At first, it was just a trial of 50 trees but his farm quickly doubled to 100 trees. Today he operates the Rosit Cocoa Farms in the Baguio District of Davao City in the southern Philippines. Mr Rosit now earns 50 times his postman’s salary and has paid for all of his children’s education.
Why are cocoa trees important in the Philippines?
“Cocoa is the only tree that allows you to send your son or daughter to college, even if you only have one hectare of land because it has a good income, a very good income.” His original plot now has more than 3,000 trees and he has bought more farms across the Philippines on which he has planted 15,000 more.