The largest cocoa producing countries are Ivory Coast, Ghana and Indonesia.
Today, Africa is the main cocoa supplier, with 75% of the world’s cocoa crop. For the small farms in African villages, cocoa cultivation represents an important source of income.

The perfect environment for this small tree is the tropical rainforests, where it receives just the right amount of rain, shade, humidity, wind,

and nutrients. Young cocoa trees thrive in the tropics within the protective shadow of banana plants or palm trees the leaves of upper canopy trees create a sheltering umbrella that filters out the harsh sun and wind for

the shorter trees below. Both the burning sun and the strong winds are

deadly enemies of this fragile tree.

The cocoa tree flowers in two cycles of 6 months the whole year round. Thousands of white (female) and pink (male) five-petalled and minuscule flowers adorn the stem and branches. Only a few will be fertilized, naturally by animals, insects, and other organisms. For example, tiny flies called “midges” pollinate the cacao tree’s flowers so that pods develop these animals depend upon cacao; cacao trees perform an important function. They provide food and homes for other valuable animals and organisms. Other wise they are fertilized by hand, and no more than forty will develop into cocoa pods. These resemble elongated, green melons. After 6 months the cocoa pods are full-grown and have changed colour from green to yellow-orange. With great care, the pods are harvested. This takes place twice a year. The cocoa pods ripen for a few days after the harvest. The outer peel is opened using long knives and a very precise cutting movement, without touching the beans.

The pulp containing the precious cocoa beans is then removed from the pods and collected in large baskets.  The beans are then, depending on the type, left to ferment for five to seven days. Now the cocoa seeds are spread out and left to dry in the sun.