Growing and harvesting

Before the chocolate is with you, it goes through many stages from cocoa bean to the delicious chocolate products in the store. Here we want to tell you how the cocoa bean becomes delicious chocolate.

Drying of cacao beans

cacao drogen
After fermentation, the beans are spread out on bamboo mats or wooden drying floors. For 10 to 20 days, the beans are turned regularly in order to aerate them well and to prevent the formation of mould. In some humid areas they are dried in drying plants. The best quality is beans dried naturally by the sun.
 

Fermentation

fermentatieprocesAfter harvesting the pods are split by a machine, the precious beans must not be damaged. Debones are scooped with pulp and all and placed in a mountain on job leaves. The banana leaves are folded shut and covered with even more approaches to close the mountain. Now the fermentation process that takes about 6 days begins.

The bacteria present in the air multiply and ferment on the sweet pulp, converting it into an acidic juice. The temperature rises in the package and this causes the magical change. The beans changed color from purple to chocolate brown and the cocoa scent developed. This is the first process of superior quality beans.

However, this process is sometimes skipped. There are supporters and opponents of this process between the planters and planters.

 

Harvesting of cocoa beans

cacoaboon oogstenOn the basis of the color of the pod and by tapping it, it is determined whether it is ripe. It takes many years of experience to know exactly when the pods are fully ripe for picking. Experienced pickers are highly regarded.The puddles are removed from the tree by cutting the stems.
 
With pods within reach this is done with a machette, for the higher pods a stick with a bent knife is used. The cutting should be done carefully so as not to damage the soft pads. these continue to give flowers and therefore also new pods.

In some countries, harvesting takes place all year round, but mainly from May to December. In Africa, this is exemplified from September to February.