Growing Cacao Tree
January 12, 2007 by Leo 11,375 Views
There are two ways of fermenting cocoa beans:
A. Wooden Basket Fermentation. For small planters where harvest is not so big for bigger containers.
- Line the baskets with banana leaves, put beans inside it and cover.
- After 24 hours, transfer the beans to another (similarly lined) basket so as to mix it thoroughly.
- Continue same process until the 6th or 7th day when fermentation will be complete.
B. Heap Fermentation
- Spread banana leaves on the ground; heap the beans on the leaves and cover with banana leaves again.
- Keep the leaves in place by putting wood weights on top. Repeat after 24 hours and so on until fermentation is complete when a brown ring appears at the edge of the cotyledon when cut crosswise. This takes 6-7 days.
C. Box Fermentation
For big plantations, wooden boxes have sides and bottom perforated for aeration and drainage of sweating. These are arranged side by side for convenience in transferring the beans from one box to another every 24 hours, mixing them thoroughly to have good fermentation.
Drying – After the beans are fermented, they are dried. Washing is not necessary. Drying should be slow and even, by occasional turning of the beans. Collect the beans in the evening to avoid dew moisture. Spread them again next morning. Bamboo mats or nylon net are recommended. Where sun drying is not possible due to weather, use artificial drier.
Storage – When the beans are dried, store them in loosely woven, jute bags; place them on wooden floor in clean, well ventilated room free from storage pests. Do not store them with copra, hide or tobacco, etc., as these will contaminate their odor.
Quality Requirements of Cacao for Manufacturers
- Size — plump and even, with less than one gram fermented dry weight.
- Shell — loose and intact.
- Cotyledon — friable, open textured and chocolate brown with characteristic choco flavor.
Nutritional Deficiency
Cherelle Wilt — young pods or cherelle may wilt or ripen prematurely.
Cause: inadequate water supply and nutrient deficiency, especially when a large number of cherelle is found on the tree and the demand for nutrients and water is big.
To control:
- periodic application of fertilizer, especially potassium and phosphorus during fruit setting and leaf flush
- irrigation
PESTS AND DISEASES
A. Pests
1. Cacao pod borer (most serious pest especially in Mindanao). Description:
- Female is very small, about 7 mm long;
- Adult has greenish-brown forewings with yellow dots and white lines.
- Female lays eggs on the furrows of pods. Eggs hatch in 6-9 days.
- Larvae bore inside pods, feed on seeds. Become full grown 15-18 days, are 10-12 mm long.
- They get out of the pod and pupate in small membranous cocoons on the leaves, trunks and fruits. Pupal period is 5-8 days.
Damage:
- Infected tissues harden and seeds do not develop properly.
- Later, pods turn black and become susceptible to fungal attack.
Control:
- Spray Sevin 85 WP 3-5 tbsp in 5 gal water;
- Wrap pod in plastic bag; or
- Endosulfan, chlorpyrifos or malathion are used at recommended dosages.
- Field cleanliness
2. Cacao Shot-hole Borer (Davao). Description: Tiny white beetle
Damage: Larva attacks the base, usually 30 cm from the ground level of th plant. Barks are stained down. Tree dies within a year.
Control: Spray Thiodan 3-5 tbsp per 5 gal water
3. Capsid (or mosquito bug). Description:
- 8mm long
- nymphs are yellow
- adults are brownish-yellow
- eggs are laid singly or in pairs into the soft tissue of the young growing plants.
Damage:
- Causes toxicosis of cacao in the Philippines
- Sucks the juice of pods, shoots and leaf stalks
- Causes water soaked lesions that rapidly turn black
- Lesions in pods are round while those on stems are usually oval and larger.
- Heavy attack on young pods prevent their maturation. Affected parts dry prematurely.
Control:
- Spray Thiodan, endosulfan chlorpyrifos or Malathion at recommended dosages
- Field sanitation
- Collect and burn infected pods or stems.
4. Curculionid beetle. Description: Adult is about 10 mm long, blackish blue with a t-shaped gray band at the back.
Damage:
- Feeds on very young leaves and lays eggs at the base of the trunk, especially on wounds.
- Larvae are found at the lower part of the trunk where they bore through.
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hi balak kong i-venture ang food business which mainly involves cacao. can someone tell me kung may kilala kayong nagsu-supply ng cacao beans within quezon city or manila? may iba’t ibang klase ba ng cacao beans? thanks! =)
Hi there!
Anyone interested to buy cocoa seedlings? We have 1,500 available seedlings in Quezon City and San Mateo, Rizal. You can contact me at 09176031315.
Hi,
I have been looking for Cocoa seeds to plant in our land in Negros Occidental.. Please help me , and let me know where can we buy the seeds ..
We can go to Mindanao to buy them but it’s just too much for fare to go there from Negros Occidental..
I really appreciate any help and information.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth
P.S.
I would like to intercrop the Cocoa trees in our 5 hectare Abaca plantation ..
Please email me @ echambers2k@yahoo.com
Thanks a lot :-)
@Elizabeth, contact alfredo corpuz of BPI. see contact details on previous comments.
we have a 1.8 has lot in davao del norte planted to few coconuts and binangay. since we are surrounded with bananas, the coconuts suffered because they are no longer bearing good fruits. we hardly earn from the copra. my brothers and sisters wanted to plant cacao instead but with the bananas around, is it good for the cacao trees? can you advice us on this matter.
thanks in advance.
hi lynne,
the coconuts and binagay bananas are good shade plants for cacao especially when your cacao are newly planted. when your binangay are 3-5 years old, these are already floating (Maglutaw na) so wala nang magaandang bunga. so you will be harvesting na your cacao.
for more info and technical assistance, you can contact us at the bureau of plant industry, bago oshiro, davao city (silingan ra man ta). we also have planting materials of cacao variety uf 18. here are my contact details: phone: 0822862135; 0822931294; celfone no.: 09052939551; email: dpropagator2003@yahoo.com or alfred011956@gmail.com.
hi, we have a farm in pangasinan is it advisable to plant cacao there considering that the area is best grown with corn, is it a good indicator, that cacao would also flourished there. tnx.
We are a chocolate manufacturer and museum, looking one cooperative smallholder’s cacao farm who participate in our organic bean-to-bar project.
We can buy whole or some portion of his production every year contineously and can share or support his expenses of farming in advance.
Is there any farm discussing further regarding this agenda for mutual interest ?
My Email ; genuine_zu@hotmail.com
Hi everybody.
I am Nelson from Landcare foundation. Our organization helps/facilitates farmers improve the economic aspects by improving farming system thru agroforestry (cobination of annual crops and trees; like cacao).
Our area in Bukidnon and MIs.Or. are cacao producer before. I’m proposing to include revival of cacao, any body can provide us the cost and return analysis of a hectare cacao farm? Thanks. Here is email n_tomonglay@yahoo.com
Hi, we are into planting cacao today in Maripipi, Biliran thru our Cooperative.. is there any agency or companies that can help us in this endeavor?
Bonz
@Atty. Bonz Mejarito, you can coordinate with CocoaPhil for additional information and advice, call them on their listed numbers.
atty. bonz:
you can contact us at the bureau of plant industry, bago oshiro, davao city for technical assistance. we also have planting materials of cacao variety uf 18. my celfone no.: 09052939551.
Hi i am living in thailand…I plan to plant cacao just for my own.since when i was in negros we have cacao trees and my gradma love it.We make our own cacao…
masarap pag hand made.
Kaya dito wala akong alam when i can find it.
i am looking somebody who can help me.
Thanks and best regards,
Hendriet
hi hendriet,
you can contact us at the bureau of plant industry, bago oshiro, davao city for technical assistance. we also have planting materials of cacao variety uf 18. here are my contact details: phone: 0822862135; 0822931294; celfone no.: 09052939551; email: dpropagator2003@yahoo.com or alfred011956@gmail.com.
hi yvette! saan ka sa davao? meron kaming Field Technician deployed in Davao Region. She knows very well where to get seeds, different varieties of scion and seedlings.we also have cacao nurseries in Calinan, Marilog & Tugbok (Davao City), Sawata (Davao Norte) and Mati (Dav Oriental).