How to grow cocoa beans

Cocoa beans are the product of cocoa trees, generally growing in areas within 20 degrees north and south latitude of the equator. different planting locations have different flavors, some with slightly fruity aromas and some with smoky flavors. So how do you grow cocoa beans?

I. growth habits of cocoa beans

The producing areas of cocoa beans are mainly distributed in areas with latitudes less than 20 degrees south and north of the equator. Because the hot and rainy environment is the most suitable environment for the growth of cocoa beans. Cocoa beans have different flavors in different places, some with fruity aromas and some with smoky flavors. At present, cocoa beans are mainly produced in Central and South America, West Africa and Southeast Asia.

Cocoa beans are the product of cocoa trees and can be ground into cocoa powder for consumption. It was introduced in Chiayi and Kaohsiung in Taiwan in 1922. Chinese mainland is now mainly planted in Hainan. Cacao trees grow on gentle slopes formed by hot, humid climates and alluvial soils rich in organic matter, but are not suitable for growing on poorly drained and heavy clay or in places often hit by typhoons.

Its planting is suitable for land between 20 latitudes from the north and south of the equator. Assuming fertile soil conditions and careful farming, once survived, the cacao tree can grow in plenty of sunlight. Cocoa plantations (artificially planted cocoa trees) are usually located in valleys or coastal plains and must have evenly distributed rainfall and fertile, well-drained land.

Second, the life span of cacao trees

The cacao tree is an evergreen tree. Its large, glossy leaves are red when young and green when they mature. At maturity, artificially planted cacao trees are 15 to 25 feet tall, but wild cacao trees can reach more than 60 feet in height. The expected lifespan of the cacao tree is still under speculation. It is generally believed that 25 years later, the economic role of a cacao tree may be considered to come to an end, and it is appropriate to replant a young cacao tree to replace it.

III. Pest control

Insect pests: young cocoa trees, prickly sucking mouthparts pests (aphids, wood lice, pink and thrips) and leaf-eating pests (scorpion) constitute the dominant species. For adult cocoa trees, blind Toona sinensis, shield insects, pod borer, wood lice, ants and locusts are the dominant species.

Diseases: such as witch broom disease, black capsule disease, etc., there are hundreds of fungi, which will reduce the global cocoa bean harvest by 1 / 3 per year.

IV. Picking

After pruning and careful cultivation, most kinds of cocoa trees begin to bear fruit in the fifth year. If given the best care, some tree species will have a good harvest even in the third and fourth years. Cacao trees bear fruit (or pods) all year round, but the harvest is usually seasonal. Because the cacao tree is freely cross-pollinated, pods form a variety of species, including Latin American species, exotic species and Trenedad species.

But the tree is fragile and the foundation is so shallow that the workers cannot risk climbing up and picking pods on the high branches.

The growers were equipped with long, hand-shaped steel knives for pickers who went to work in the fields. The steel knife is designed to reach and cut off the tallest pods without hurting the soft bark of the cacao tree. The machete that you carry with you is used to pick accessible pods growing on low branches.

5. Storage

Cocoa beans or seeds taken from pods are packed in boxes or stacked. Wrapped in cocoa beans is a layer of pulp that begins to heat up and ferment. The fermentation lasts three to nine days, removing the bitterness of cocoa and producing ingredients with chocolate characteristics.

Fermentation is a simple process by which sugars in cocoa beans are converted into acids, mainly lactic acid and acetic acid.

The fermentation process causes the temperature of the cocoa beans to rise to 125 degrees Fahrenheit, killing the bacteria and activating existing enzymes to form a mixture that produces the flavor of chocolate when baking cocoa beans. The end result is dark brown fully fermented cocoa beans, a color that indicates that the beans are ready to enter the drying process.

Like all hydrated fruits, cocoa beans must be dried if they are to be preserved. In some countries, the drying process is simple: simply spread the cocoa beans on a plate or bamboo mat and bake them in the sun. The artificial method can only be applied when the wet weather interferes with this drying method. For example, cocoa beans may be brought indoors and dried under a hot pipe.

The planting scope of cocoa beans is relatively small, only a small part of our country can be planted, if there are conditions and technology growers, can try to grow cocoa beans.