Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry (http://agroforestry.

net/scps)

Farm and Forestry

Production and Marketing Profile for

Cacao
(Theobroma cacao)

By Prakash Hebbar, H.C. Bittenbender,

and Daniel ODoherty

USES AND PRODUCTS

Definitions

Popular worldwide, chocolate and many other products are

produced from the fruit of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao).
Two of the main commercial products obtained from the
specially processed beans of cacao fruit are cocoa liquor and
cocoa butter, which are mixed with other ingredients such
as sugar and milk to produce chocolate. When cocoa liquor
is pressed to remove most of the butter, the resulting press
cake when dried is called cocoa powder (1025% fat), which
is used in beverages, cakes, and cookies. Cocoa butter also
has applications in cosmetics and soaps. In certain countries
traditional beverages are also consumed locally made from
processing cocoa beans at home. The white, sweet and sour
cocoa pulp surrounding the beans in their pod is extracted
to prepare beverages.

cacao

The tree, often called cocoa

cocoa

The seeds (or beans) obtained from the cacao fruit

cocoa nib

Pieces of crushed cocoa beans with the shell removed

cocoa liquor

A highly viscous paste obtained by crushing cocoa

nibs, contains cocoa solids and butter

cocoa butter

A pale yellow fat extracted from cocoa nibs and

cocoa liquor under high pressure

cocoa powder

Solids left over after cocoa butter is pressed from the

cocoa liquor

chocolate

A finished product containing varying amounts of

cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, and sugar. Vanilla, milk
powder, and other flavorings are added to create
different types of chocolate.

Family
Sterculiaceae

The worldwide commercial production for 20072008 was

estimated to be 3.7 million metric tons (MT, or 4.1 million
tons [t]) with West Africa (Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria
and Cameroon) accounting for 2.6 million MT (2.9 million
tons); the Americas (Brazil, Ecuador, Dominican Republic)
400,000 MT (440, 000 t); and Asia/Oceania (Indonesia, Papua New Guinea [PNG], and Malaysia) 650,000 MT (715,000
t). Cocoa production in Pacific islands is relatively small,
with Solomon Islands being the largest producer (5,000 MT
or 5,500 t), followed by Vanuatu (800 MT or 880 t) and Samoa (500 MT or 550 t). Production in Hawaii in 2009 was
estimated to be 18 MT (20 t) on 20 ha (50 ac).

Common names
English: cocoa, cacao. It is appropriate to use cacao to refer to the plant and its cultivation and cocoa to refer to
the beans or the product used to make chocolate.
French: cacaoyer
Mayan: cakaw
Nahuatl: cacahuatl
Samoan, Tongan: koko
Spanish: cacao

Craig Elevitch

Craig Elevitch

Preferred scientific name

Theobroma cacao L.

Craig Elevitch

Brief botanical description

The cacao fruit, often termed as the cacao or cocoa pod
exhibits a wide variety of shapes, texture, color and sizes.
Each pod on an average has 3040 seeds (cocoa beans) embedded in a mucilaginous pulp called an aril. A developing

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Left: An extremely wide range of products can be made from cacao, including chocolate, nibs, and baked goods. Middle: A line of
high-quality chocolate products can distinguish a farm and open doors to crossover products with other farm crops and agritourism.
Right: Raw cocoa beans, ready for value-added processing.

Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing Profile for Cacao by Prakash Hebbar, H.C. Bittenbender, and Daniel ODoherty

 Craig Elevitch

Craig Elevitch

Craig Elevitch

Craig Elevitch

Left to right: Flowers, young leaves and pod, seeds within whitish pulp inside pod, and seed with testa and pulp removed.

Variability of Theobroma species and known

varieties in T. cacao
Of the 22 known species of the genus Theobroma, only T.
cacao is widely cultivated outside of its native range of distribution. Several other species are cultivated or wild-harvested on a relatively small scale for human consumption, T.
bicolor (mocambo, pataste), T. grandiflorum (cupuau), and
to a lesser extent, T. speciosum and T. subincanum.
Since the mid 20th century, T. cacao varieties have been classified into three general groups: Criollo, Forastero, and
Trinitario. Recent genetic studies indicate that this broad
categorization is overly simplistic with regard to the term
Forastero and fails to acknowledge the significant amount
of genetic variation contained within this group. In contrast,
Criollo refers to a group of genetically similar trees that
produce lightly pigmented seeds and share several other
morphological traits. Trinitario refers to hybrids between
Criollo and Forastero trees.

Criollo
This group is genetically narrow and is believed to have been
domesticated by the Mayan civilization. The seeds (beans)
tend to be round in profile and contain white or pale purple
cotyledons. Young seedlings can be identified by the presence of green cotyledons and by leaf stems (petioles) with a
horizontally opposed orientation. Although rare Forastero
trees may have white seeds, several other unusual traits can
be used to identify trees of Criollo ancestry. Notable characters include a unique growth habit that frequently lacks the
usual whorl of five branches (jorquette) and consists entirely
of plagiotropic stems with occasional bi- and trifurcating
branches. Fruits typically have a soft thin husk with a textured surface and usually have some degree of red pigmentation. Many Criollo trees in Hawaii have pods that when
mature have a deep red color with yellow grooves. Criollo
trees exhibit symptoms of inbreeding depression and have a

Craig Elevitch

pod at its early stage of growth is called a cherelle. Each seed

has an embryo and two cotyledons enclosed in a seed coat
or testa. The color of the cotyledons within the seeds depends on the variety and usually ranges from white to deep
purple in color. A large number of flowers are produced on
23-year-old branches and on the trunk, a flowering habit
termed cauliflorus. The flowers are formed above old leaf
scars (called flower cushions) are usually pink in color, have
long pedicels, 5 sepals, and 5 petals. The male part of the
flower or stamens, are present in two whorls of 5 each, with
5 inner whorls of fertile stamens with two anthers each and
5 outer whorls of long infertile staminodes. The ovary has a
long style and 5 carpels with many ovules.

Two distinct types grown in Samoa.

Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry (http://agroforestry.net/scps)

 Daniel ODoherty

Daniel ODoherty

Left: Young Criollo seedlings can be identified by green cotyledons (not shown here) and by leaf stems (petioles) with a horizontally
opposed orientation. Right: Many Criollo trees in Hawaii have pods that have a deep red color with yellow grooves when mature.

history of low vigor, poor productivity, as well as susceptibility to disease, insects, and stress. Until the mid-eighteenth
century, Criollo was the most commonly cultivated type
of cacao but the vast majority of trees have been replaced
by more vigorous and hardy trees of hybrid or Forastero
ancestry. Chocolate made from Criollo is light in color and
has a subtle or delicate taste that is low in basic chocolate
flavor. Criollo beans often sold at higher prices, which can
somewhat offset their lower yield. Criollo may be translated as native or first grown in Spanish-speaking countries
of the Americas. Therefore it should be noted that so called
Criollo cacao in many countries may not have the typical
genetic profile of pure Criollo.
Forastero
In contrast to Criollo, Forastero means foreigner in
Spanish. It refers to any trees that are not Criollo or a hybrid thereof and that usually produce deep purple seeds.
The term Forastero encompasses a wide range of distinct
populations with unique characteristics and is not a meaningful descriptive term. Because of the high genetic variability within this group, Forastero types exhibit greater
variability in tree and fruit morphology and are generally
more vigorous and less susceptible to disease and pests than
Criollo trees. Several landraces are particularly well known.
The Amelonado type is widely grown throughout western
Africa and produces the majority of bulk cacao beans. Although Forastero beans are said to produce chocolate that
is rich in chocolate flavor but low in complex or fruity flavor
notes, there are several well known exceptions. The Nacional cultivar from Ecuador has long been renowned for its
fine flavor. Also, cocoa produced from Waialua Estate in

Hawaii has predominantly Forastero ancestry, yet has received several reviews praising its fruity and complex flavor
profile.
Trinitario and other hybrids
In the strict sense, Trinitario refers to clones, or the progenies, of hybrids originally produced in Trinidad between
Criollo and Forastero trees that originated in the lower
Amazon River basin. However, many modern cacao plantings around the world, including those in Hawaii, are comprised of hybrids of mixed ancestry and do not fit into the
traditional categories of Criollo, Forastero, and Trinitario.
Which is the best variety for any given agroecosystem in
Hawaii is unknown. Research is currently being undertaken by the University of Hawaii in statewide field tests of
replicated, grafted ten-selection plantings that represent a
wide range of cacao germplasm.

DISTRIBUTION
Native range
The genus Theobroma is native to the tropical rainforests of
South America and the primary center of diversity is in the
upper Amazon region of Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela,
and Colombia. Its use and cultivation spread to Central
America as far north as the Yucatan peninsula in pre-Colombian times.
Current distribution worldwide
Cacao is distributed 18N and 15S of the equator. After the
arrival of the Europeans, the cultivation of cacao spread to
the Caribbean islands, Asia, and Africa. It is currently grown

Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing Profile for Cacao by Prakash Hebbar, H.C. Bittenbender, and Daniel ODoherty

high organic matter content (3.5+%), C:N ratio >9, and pH

of 6.57.5 are considered favorable for cacao cultivation.
Cacao can withstand flooding and long periods of drought,
but cannot tolerate waterlogging, especially in acid soils.
The soils that facilitate the unimpeded growth of the taproot to at least 1 m are ideal, especially in conditions where
there are frequent high winds. Available P (40 ppm), and
micronutrients such as Ca (8 ppm), K (0.24 ppm), and Mg
(2 ppm) are considered essential for good nutrition of the
tree.

Elevation, rainfall, and temperature

Elevation range

lower: sea level

upper: 500600 m (1,6401,970 ft). Exceptions include Colombia (1,400 m or 4,600 ft)
and Uganda (1,200 m or 3,900 ft)

Mean annual rainfall

lower: 1,500 mm (60 in)

upper: 2,800 mm (110 in)

Rainfall pattern

Cacao grows well in climates with summer,

bimodal, and uniform rainfall

Dry season duration

3 months, exception Ecuador with 6 months

Mean annual
temperature

lower: 18C (64F)

upper: 32C (90F)

Minimum temperature tolerated

1015C (5059F) (Bahia, Brazil) and will

not tolerate frost

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

The first four leaves from germinating seeds are formed
from short internodes and the subsequent leaves are formed
form longer internodes arranged spirally. Seedlings grow
vertically to a height of 12 m (3.36.6 ft) before 35 side
branches appear (this branch point is called the jorquette).
Leaf flushing in mature trees is often stimulated by environmental factors such as long dry periods followed by rainfall.
The new leaves are pale green, pink, or red in color, and later
become dark green as they mature and harden off. The plant
has two types of branches or stems: vertical growing (orthotropic), also called chupons, and lateral growing (plagiotropic), also called fan branches. A seedling grows orthotropically until it forms the first jorquette. On young trees, new
chupons may sprout at any point on the original orthotropic
trunk but usually appear just below the jorquette. Mature
trees will occasionally form chupons on large plagiotropic
branches. Chupons can also grow from the base of a mature
tree and often can replace the main trunk. The cacao tree
can grow up to 20 m (66 ft) tall in tropical rainforests where
the sunlight is poor, however, in small farms and plantations
the tree height usually ranges from 4 to 10 m (1333 ft). The
taproot system is 120200 cm (4761 in) long with extensive

in a number of Pacific islands, including Papua New Guinea,

Fiji, Solomon Islands, Samoa, and Hawaii.

ENVIRONMENTAL PREFERENCES AND

TOLERANCES
The optimal conditions for cacao cultivation include uniformly distributed high rainfall (1,5002,000 mm or 6080
in) and temperatures of 1821C (6470F) minimum and
3032C (8690F) maximum. However, cacao can also be
grown in areas with long periods (3 months) of dry weather
such as occurs in West Africa and Rondonia state in Brazil.
An exception to the rule is Ecuador, which has even longer
dry periods (56 months), but quite unique environmental
conditions such as lower temperature, high humidity, and
cloud cover during the drier periods.

Daniel ODoherty

Daniel ODoherty

Daniel ODoherty

Soils
Cacao can be grown in a wide variety of soil. Soils with deep
profile (1.5 m or 5 ft), permeable, clayey sand (sand 50%,
clay 3040%, silt 12%), good water holding capacity, fairly

Left: A chupon is a vertical growing stem such as these young shoots from the base of a tree. Middle: A jorquette is the point where
lateral branches grow from a chupon. Right: Jorquette on an older tree.

Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry (http://agroforestry.net/scps)

lateral or feeder roots present in the top 20 cm (8 in) of the

soil. Trees produced by grafting and rooted cuttings from
fan branches naturally grow into highly branched shrubby
trees unless pruned. If orthotropic shoots (chupons) are
used for vegetative propagation, the tree architecture will be
similar to the normal growth habit produced by seedlings.

Flowering and fruiting

Mature cacao trees are capable of producing pods throughout the year depending on the climatic conditions, often
with one or two peak harvests. Pods are harvested usually
56 months after flowering, which may be synchronized by
the first rainfall after a dry period. Flowering may also be
related to warmer temperatures.
Out of the large number of flowers that are formed only
15% are pollinated. Pollination is often done by various
small insects, including midges. During the first 40 days,
the tiny pods grow slowly, after which pods undergo a rapid
phase of growth. During the next phase (85140 days) the
growth of the pod slows down and the growth the cacao
seeds commence with the accumulation of fat. This is followed by the ripening phase. It takes 56 months after pollination for the pod to reach its full maturity.

AGROFORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL

SERVICES
Agroforestry/interplanting practices
Cacao farms are established often in thinned (Brazil, West
Africa) or cleared forests (South America, Asia) or intercropped with other tree crops such as coconut (Cocos nucifera), rubber (Hevea brasiliensis), or fruit trees. When
being established in fallow land, cacao seedlings (ca 1,000
trees/ha or 400 trees/ac) are planted under temporary shade
of banana or plantain or leguminous tree crops such as Gliricidia sepium (called madre de cacao in Spanish, meaning
mother of cacao), Inga spp., and Albizia spp. Shade intensity
is a critical factor for successful establishment and fruit production. Cacao trees are prone to wind damage and their
cultivation often suffers in tropical trade winds as well as in
cyclone-prone areas. Shallow-rooted shade trees that are not
firmly anchored can also cause damage by falling on cacao
trees.
Environmental services
Very few reports exist on environmental services provided
by cacao trees. On the contrary, several indicators point
to deforestation due to large-scale cacao farming. Rare examples do exist as in Brazil (cabruca system), Dominican
Republic, Cameroon, and Nigeria where it has been shown
that although cacao agroforests have an overall lower diversity of tree species than native forest, they are able to maintain better biodiversity and obtain better economic returns

to the farmers than non-shade cacao plantings. Recent studies (Rolim and Chiarello 2005) from Brazil have shown that
cabruca forests are not only less diverse and less dense than
secondary or primary forests of the region, but also, and
more importantly, their natural succession and gap dynamics are being severely impaired. As a consequence, cabruca
systems present a structure where tree species of late successional phases are becoming increasingly rare while pioneers
and early secondary species are becoming dominant. It is
pointed out that if current management practices of thinning and clearing of native trees are not improved, the longterm survival of these forests is questionable and their role in
maintaining biodiversity in the long run is limited. Studies
in Malaysia have shown that soil erosion and runoff, a problem in tropical ecosystems can be reduced by intercropping
with the nitrogen-fixing shade tree Gliricidia sepium.

Advantages and disadvantages of polycultures

Cacao intercropping with other tree crops such as coconut,
rubber, betel nut (Areca catechu), and fruit and timber trees
is found around the world. There is evidence that polycultures can mitigate damage from certain pests, as in the Brazilian cabruca system, which has been shown to give much
higher yields in witches broom infested areas than monoculture cacao farms. A critical economic analysis of capital
and labor inputs is recommended for choosing the companion crop or crops. The factors that may negatively affect the
cacao crop are competition for nutrients, water, and the possibility of associated crops as vectors of pests and diseases.
The benefits of bananas and plantains at early stages of the
crop have been well established. However, more work needs
to be done on the selection of crops (fruit, timber, cash) in
cacao polycultures.

PROPAGATION AND PLANTING

The least expensive and the most common way to propagate
cacao is from seed. A major drawback however with seedlings is variability in yield, disease resistance, and a number
of other agronomic factors. Some types of cacao (Amelonado and some Criollo) are self-pollinated and produce seedlings similar to the seed parent. Seeds collected from ripe
pods must be planted immediately and not allowed to dry
out. Drying destroys viability. Seeds can be sown directly
in the orchard provided the soil is prepared (not sod) and
a plastic film-covered cage or protective tree tube placed
where the seedling will emerge.
Seedlings can be produced in pots using clean media such
as compost and cinder, or commercial peat-based potting
mix and perlite, or top soil. Plant seeds horizontally about
1020 mm (0.40.8 in) deep. Use pots or plastic bags no less
than 5 5 12 cm (2 2 8 in) with good water drainage.
Shoots should emerge in 10 days in a warm (32C or 90F)

Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing Profile for Cacao by Prakash Hebbar, H.C. Bittenbender, and Daniel ODoherty

 Craig Elevitch
H.C. Bittenbender
Craig Elevitch

Craig Elevitch
Craig Elevitch
Craig Elevitch

Top left: Young planting of cacao with banana, papaya (Carica papaya), squash (Cucurbita sp.), Indian almond (Terminalia catappa),
noni (Morinda citrifolia), and other crops in Samoa. Top right: Mature stand of cacao growing in a diverse system with fruit and timber trees in Samoa. Middle left: Cacao growing together with coffee (Coffea arabica), macadamia nut (Macadamia integrifolia), and
coconut in Kona, Hawaii. Middle right: Young cacao trees interplanted with banana (Musa sp.) in Hmkua, Hawaii. Bottom left:
Polyculture of cacao, banana, and pineapple in Kona, Hawaii. The latter two crops can provide early yields while the cacao trees come
into bearing. Bottom right: Cacao and banana growing under the high-value timber tree Cordia alliodora in Panama.

Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry (http://agroforestry.net/scps)

screen house, longer if cooler. Germination can be hastened

by removing the mucilage prior to sowing.

Air-layering has also been successful for propagating cacao.

Although labor intensive, air-layering is easy to accomplish
with simple tools and does not require a rootstock.

H.C. Bittenbender

In Ecuador (e.g., variety CCN51), Brazil (several varieties

produced by BioFabrica), and several other countries, superior trees and varieties have been propagated by rooted

H.C. Bittenbender

Craig Elevitch

H.C. Bittenbender

Seedling vigor depends on quality potting mix (including

compost) and proper maintenance in the nursery. The nursery requires an adequate supply of water and protection
from direct sunlight and wind. Seedlings can be maintained
up to 12 months in the nursery, provided pots are deep
enough, before transplanting in the orchard. Young seedlings are sensitive to over-fertilization. It is important that
irrigation water does not have extremes in pH or contain a
high level of total dissolved solids.

Recently, clonal materials have been propagated by grafting

onto seedling rootstocks. High success rates (90%) can be
achieved using a top cleft graft, paraffin wax grafting tape,
and small plastic bags covering the scion and graft union.

Top left: Four-month-old seedling transplanted (left) and seedling 5 weeks after direct-seeding (right). Top right: Newly grafted seedling. Bottom left: Container-grown seedlings for sale at 4-leaf stage. Bottom right: Hawaii Statewide Cacao Trial planting using 90
cm (36 in) wide woven black ground cover cloth, with 90 cm 10 cm (36 in 4 in) tree tubes/shelters spaced 3 m 3 m (10 ft 10 ft)
with rows staggered 1.5 m (5 ft), and irrigated with 3.8 liter/hr (1 gallon/hr) drippers.

Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing Profile for Cacao by Prakash Hebbar, H.C. Bittenbender, and Daniel ODoherty

cuttings. Tissue culture methods have also been developed,

but large scale application of this method has not been practiced.

Basic crop management

Depending on the soil type, planting holes (40 40 24 cm
or 16 16 10 in deep) are usually dug before transplanting
the seedlings. If smaller pots (5 5 20 cm or 2 2 8 in)
are used then the holes need only be 15 15 25 cm (6
6 10 in) deep. Adequate soil moisture is needed during
establishment. Cacao seedlings require shade in the nursery
or if direct-seeded in the field. Cages or tubes provide some
shade, warmer temperatures, high humidity, and windless
environment. Many farms in Hawaii do not use shade beyond the first 4 months in the field. Windbreaks are essential in areas exposed to trade windsthese can be trees, tall
bunch grasses such as bana-grass (Pennisetum purpureum),
or an artificial barrier such as vertically mounted 5080%
shade cloth. Bananas and plantains are often used as shade
crops and also provide income during the establishment period. Success of this system depends upon adequate rainfall
and proper soil nutrition. Additional crops such as cocoyam (Xanthosoma spp.), pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), papaya
(Carica papaya), and cassava (Manihot esculenta) are planted as temporary shade in West Africa. Cover crops have
been recommended to reduce weeds but are often difficult
to implement and their management can be labor intensive.

H.C. Bittenbender

CULTIVATION

Currently there are no standard spacing recommendations.

Farmers practicing the high density methods of SE Asia
plant trees 12 m (36 ft) apart in double rows separated by
2.43 m (810 ft) alleys. Another common spacing is 2 m
4 m (6 ft 12 ft). A spacing of 3 m 3 m (10 ft 10 ft) with
the rows staggered by 1.5 m (5 ft) is being used in Hawaii
trials to permit a more natural tree shape to better evaluate
the selections.

Craig Elevitch

Recommended planting density

Optimum spacing between cacao trees varies depending on
the management system and ranges from 2.5 m 2.5 m (8
ft 8 ft) to 5 m 5 m (16 ft 16 ft), which results in densities
of 7501,500 trees/ha (300600 trees/ac). Spacing depends
on environmental conditions and whether cacao is grown
together with other crops and/or shade trees. In Asia, cacao
tree density averages 1,000 trees/ha (400 trees/ac) and pod
yields are 25 pods/tree per year if good farming practices are
adopted. For polycultures, the number of cacao trees may be
400600 per ha (160240 trees/ac).

Special horticultural techniques

To obtain good yields, proper fertilization, weeding, and
pruning to maintain the tree architecture are recommended

Top: Closely spaced cacao orchard in Kona, Hawaii. The dense

leaf litter and shade from the cacao trees covers the soil surface
and helps to retain moisture and suppress weed growth. Bottom:
Understory in Samoan cacao agroforest.

Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry (http://agroforestry.net/scps)

during the life time of the crop. Commercial N-P-K fertilizer plus micronutrients (Fe, Zn, B) is applied at a rate of
about 500 kg/ha/yr (310 lb/ac/yr), depending on the soil
characteristics. A target for a producing orchard in Hawaii
is 150 kg/ha N, 75 kg/ha P, and 150 kg/ha K.
In addition, integrated pest management (IPM) practices
are also recommended to reduce losses due to pest and diseases. IPM may or may not include use of chemical pesticides. While adequate rainfall is essential for good yields,
waterlogging should be avoided by ensuring proper drainage.

PESTS AND DISEASES

Susceptibility to pests/pathogens
Depending on the region, cacao trees and pods are susceptible to a variety of pests and diseases and losses can range
from 30 to 100%. Disease epidemics have often forced farmers to replace cacao with other crops or abandon cultivation altogether. There are numerous such examples in Brazil
(witches broom disease), Ecuador (frosty pod rot disease),
Malaysia (cocoa pod borer), Indonesia (vascular streak dieback), and West Africa (cocoa swollen shoot virus). The major fungal diseases are witches broom, frosty pod, vascular
streak dieback, and black pod. While witches broom and
frosty pod are confined to the Americas, black pod occurs
worldwide. Fungal diseases can also cause tree death, but
most such as vascular streak dieback, Ceratocystis wilt, and
Verticillium wilt are not widespread. The viral disease Cocoa
swollen shoot virus (CSSV), which is transmitted by mealybug, is widespread in West Africa. Examples of major pests
are plant feeding or pod boring insects such as mirids and
capsids (West Africa) and cocoa pod borers (Asia).
Pacific islands are currently relatively free of major pest and
disease problems. However, a recent outbreak of cocoa pod
borer (CPB) in Papua New Guinea is alarming. This pest
could easily spread to neighboring Pacific islands. Extension personnel should be trained in monitoring (pheromone traps) and managing methods for CPB. Black pod
is another disease that can cause severe losses if rainfall
is heavy, including in Hawaii (particularly the windward
side of Hawaii Island). However, low toxicity copper-based
fungicides are available to manage black pod. Chinese rose
beetles attack cacao leaves and coffee black twig borers affect branches in Hawaii. Aphids, mealybugs, and thrips can
cause substantial damage in nursery seedlings, but are not
usually damaging in field plantings.
The most likely entry of cacao diseases and pests is the importation of live cacao, whether it be pods, seeds, plants, or
bud wood. Importation is unnecessary into Hawaii since
there currently exists a wide range of genetic variation in cacao in Hawaii, including high yield seedlings and varieties.

Importation of dried seed for roasting should be avoided

unless the seed has been fumigated, but importing roasted
nibs poses no danger.

Sustainable methods for pest and disease

prevention
Preventing or managing pests and diseases requires good
agricultural practices including maintaining tree height to
less than 4 m (13 ft), phytosanitation, application of organic
or chemical fertilizers, and Integrated Pest Management
(IPM). In order to avoid large-scale pest outbreaks, many
farmers must apply these practices throughout the growing
region, especially if the pest or disease is a rapidly spreading
one.
Pacific islands are currently relatively free of major pests and
diseases. However, a recent outbreak of cocoa pod borer in
PNG is alarming and this could easily spread to neighboring Pacific islands. Extension personnel should be trained in
monitoring methods to help stop pest and disease outbreaks
before they become widespread.

DISADVANTAGES
When production levels are low, as they generally are in the
Pacific islands relative to other regions, marketing raw cacao beans for the commodity market may not be sustainable.
Unless local consumption is high, unique regional flavor
characteristics are developed, or there are possibilities for
developing specialty markets, long-term economic viability
of the crop as a dependable sole cash crop is debatable. To
avoid the problems mentioned above, intercropping with
other cash crops such as fruit trees can be recommended.
Pests and diseases may be another limitation. If invasive
pests or diseases are introduced, losses may be too high for
the crop to be sustainable. Unless the farmers are aware of
good farming practices and prepared to meet challenges,
long-term sustainability of cacao as a sole cash crop may be
difficult.

Potential for invasiveness

Cacao is not known to be an invasive species and is rated as
low risk by the Hawaii Ecosystems at Risk (HEAR) project.

COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION
Fermentation
In addition to the varietal differences, fermentation of cocoa beans is an important step for obtaining proper flavors.
The method of fermentation varies depending on local tradition and amount of beans fermented. The fermentation
infrastructure can be established at a household level (small
boxes or baskets) or at a community level (large boxes). The
latter needs better organization and leadership capabilities.

Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing Profile for Cacao by Prakash Hebbar, H.C. Bittenbender, and Daniel ODoherty

10

 Prakash Hebbar

Scot C. Nelson

Craig Elevitch

H.C. Bittenbender

Scot C. Nelson

be 100 kg (220 lb). The duration of fermentation is usually

57 days (120168 hours). The fermenting mass is usually
mixed to encourage uniform fermentation at least once, but
most often every other day.

Scot C. Nelson

Scot C. Nelson

Quality processing is key for exporters or processors who

are constantly looking for single-origin ingredients and
unique flavors. The minimum quantity of wet beans for a
normal commercial-scale fermentation is considered to

Common pests and diseases of cacao. Top left: Black pod caused by the fungus Phytophthora sp. Top center: Chinese rose beetle
damage to leaves. Top right: Anthracnose fungal spots. Bottom left: Rats can cause considerable damage to pods. Bottom center:
Small, black aborted fruit together with healthy red pods. Bottom right (upper): A symptom of black twig borer attack is whitish
exudate on stem below or covering the entry hole. Bottom right (lower): poddamage caused bythe cocoa pod borer.

Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry (http://agroforestry.net/scps)

11

Pods can be stored at ambient temperature for up to a week.

With longer periods, some seeds may germinate, which is
undesirable. During the fermentation process, molds and
bacteria can enter the seed through the dying root of a germinated seed and cause off flavors, even after the seed is dried
and roasted. Check a few pods periodically to make sure
that the seeds are not germinating inside the pods. However,
improper fermentation can result in invasion of undesirable
microorganisms even without seed germination.

H.C. Bittenbender

H.C. Bittenbender
H.C. Bittenbender

H.C. Bittenbender

H.C. Bittenbender

Fermentation in Hawaii can be challenging for two reasons.

First, starting the fermentation during cool periods (particularly November to May) at ambient temperature can be
difficult. Second, farmers may not have sufficient mass of
fresh seed at one harvest (100 kg or 220 lb) to easily sustain

fermentation. Many farmers attempt ferments as small as 11

kg (25 lb). Such small quantities of seed, cooler air temperature, constant breeze, and low humidity require controlling
the starting temperature of the fermentation which should
reach 3537C (95100F) within the first 24 hours. Use of
solar energy to warm the pods prior to opening, warming
the seed in plastic bag, fermenting in a insulated chest with
drain holes, employing a nursery seedling warming mat,
warming the air around the fermentation, and restricting
airflow in the fermentation area are all strategies that can
ensure a successful fermentation. A digital or composting
thermometer with a long probe can be used to monitor fermentation temperatures. For hobbyists, even a cardboard
box with a light bulb or small incubator that can reach 46C
(115F) is effective.

Top left: Inexpensive materials for fermenting a small quantity of beans. Top right: Fermentation in a temperature-controlled environment. Bottom left: Freshly cut seed prior to fermentation, note white embryo. Bottom center: Freshly cut seed after 6 days of
fermentation, note embryo has darkened and presence of brown to purple liquid. Bottom right: Freshly cut seed after drying to 6%
moisture content.

Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing Profile for Cacao by Prakash Hebbar, H.C. Bittenbender, and Daniel ODoherty

12

Fermentation usually is carried out 57 days, depending

upon variety, starting temperature, quantity of seed, and
external temperature. Criollo is often fermented for a
shorter time than other types, with 23 days being common. Normally the fermentation begins with naturally occurring yeasts and bacteria. Small ferments (0.510 kg or
122 lb) benefit from the addition of bakers yeast, which
hastens the start of fermentation and prevents molds from
growing. It is important that fresh yeast is used, as old yeast
may be weakly active or dead. To ensure that the yeast is still
alive before using, it can be proofed by adding teaspoon
to 12 ml (4 oz) of 37C (99F) water and ensure that there
is active foaming after 510 minutes. To inoculate small fermentations, dissolve teaspoon of yeast in one liter (approximately a quart) of water and mix 2 teaspoons of yeast
solution per kilo (1 tsp/lb) of wet cacao seed.
Cut tests on the beans should be conducted to evaluate the
fermentation. Under-fermented beans are slaty (purple in
color) inside. Fully fermented beans with good flavor are
brownish-purple in color. Over-fermentation of the beans
results in beans tasting too acidic or with tainted with flavors associated with undesirable fungal growth. Putrefactive
and ammonia smells are clear indicators of over-fermentation. Overly acidic beans can also result from rapid artificial
drying. Working with an expert in commercial operations
is essential to standardize fermentation methods, which determine the flavor characteristics of the beans.
Drying of fermented beans is necessary to halt fermentation and avoid molding and off flavors. Sun drying to 67%
moisture is often done on wood framed platforms with
mesh or screened bottoms. The drying platforms are often
kept within plastic-covered structures or are constructed
with hinged waterproof lids to protect the beans from rain.
Drying racks should be protected at all times from bird and
rodent access, as these animals excrement is often a source
of food born pathogen contamination (such as Salmonella
and E. coli) in cacao seeds and chocolate. Sun-drying in acceptable weather conditions takes 714 days, depending on
bean size and climatic conditions. In areas where drying is
difficult due to heavy rains during the harvest season, platforms should be easily covered at the first signs of rain. Low
temperature (45C or 113F) propane or electric heated air
blowers can also be used during wet periods to avoid development of off flavors. Drying beans using wood-fired driers
should be avoided, as this methods gives the beans a smoky
flavor.

Value-added processing
Small-scale chocolate processing
Bittenbender and Kling (2009) present an annotated pictorial of harvesting, pod cracking, fermenting, drying, roasting,
cracking, winnowing, and chocolate making for small-scale
Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry (http://agroforestry.net/scps)

producers. Briefly, the process is as follows. After drying

to 68% moisture (seed coat and seed can be crumbed by
hand) the seed is stored for at least one month at ambient
temperature in a insect proof container such as a plastic
bucket with fine mesh screen over the top to exclude insects.
The seed is then roasted in a convection oven at 135150C
(275300F) for 3040 minutes for darker, more chocolatey
flavors, and 1525 minutes for fruitier flavors. Alternatively,
it can be gently stir fried in stove-top pan. An aroma of baking brownies should be noticed. Stir seeds while roasting to
ensure uniform roasting. After seeds have been roasted and
cooled, they can be crushed with a rolling pin on a counter
top, in specialized hopper crusher, or even in a coffee huller. The goal is to crack the roasted seeds into pieces of shell
(testa) and nib (cotyledon). If the pieces are not too small,
the shell and nib can be separated using a simple winnowing
process. Winnowing can be done by gently pouring from a
bucket to a drop cloth or pan using natural breeze or wind
from a fan, hair dryer, or vacuum cleaner. Separating out
the shell is essential as the shell pieces do not have a good
chocolate flavor or texture.
Next, the nibs are ground into a thick paste, called cocoa
liquor, which is mixed with cocoa butter, sugar, and other
ingredients such as milk powder, depending on the type of
chocolate desired. To achieve a smooth mouth-feel, this mixture is finely ground in a special machine called a melanger
over a period of 672 hours. The heat of friction keeps the
molten chocolate warm during the conching process. The final process is tempering, which is a controlled-temperature
cooling while stirring to cause the chocolate to crystallize
into in a form that has optimal texture and appearance (see
photos next page).
Other value-added products
The Indonesian Cocoa Research Institute (ICCRI) and Cocoa research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) have developed various products such as jelly, soaps, cosmetics, cattle feed, and
manure-based fertilizers from cocoa. Technology transfer
from Indonesia of low cost methods to process cocoa should
be explored.
Cocoa pulp is extracted using low cost machines in Indonesia, Brazil, and Ecuador and used to make drinks. Cocoa
jelly is made from the first days sweating (drippings from
fermentation heaps) during the fermentation process. Alcoholic drinks can also be made from cocoa sweating.
Cocoa husks are rich in potash, which should be returned to
the cocoa fields after composting. Soaps are also made from
ash of pod husks. Animal (cattle, pigs, poultry) feeds can be
mixed with ground up cocoa husks.

13

 H.C. Bittenbender
H.C. Bittenbender

H.C. Bittenbender

Craig Elevitch
H.C. Bittenbender

H.C. Bittenbender

Craig Elevitch

Top left: Roasting nibs in home coffee roaster. Top right: Hand-cranked hop crusher does a good job of cracking the roasted seed.
Middle left: Nibs after cracking. Middle center: The shell and nibs must be separated before the nibs are ground into cocoa liquor. A
hair dryer on a cool setting can be used to winnow the shell from the nib. Middle right: For larger amounts, a vacuum cleaner system such as this can provide an airflow that carries the shell into one bucket (orange), while depositing the nibs into another bucket
(white). Bottom left: A ChampionTM juicer produces fine cocoa liquor in the left bowl and chunky liquor in the right. The right bowl
contents are reground until all is in the left bowl. Bottom right: Cocoa liquor can made directly in the melanger (wet grinder) before
the other ingredients for chocolate are added.

Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing Profile for Cacao by Prakash Hebbar, H.C. Bittenbender, and Daniel ODoherty

14

 Craig Elevitch
Craig Elevitch

Craig Elevitch
Craig Elevitch
Craig Elevitch

Craig Elevitch

Craig Elevitch

Top left: Cocoa liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, and other ingredients are combined in the melanger. Top right: After 24 hours in the melanger, the chocolate has become sufficiently smooth. Middle left: Cooling the chocolate to 45.5C (114F) prior to tempering. Middle
right: Tempering on a granite slab to remove heat from the molten chocolate while working it and cause desirable crystals to form.
Bottom left: Finishing the tempering in a bowl. Bottom center: Pouring chocolate into forms, in this case with a macadamia nut in
each candy mold. Bottom right: After a slow cooling process, the chocolates easily release from the form.

Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry (http://agroforestry.net/scps)

15

 Craig Elevitch

Craig Elevitch

Medium scale roasting and conching equipment can be used for chocolate processing at a community level, such in this facility in
Kona, Hawaii.

Product quality standards

The International standards (ICCO) can be described briefly
as follows. The beans should be well fermented (with exceptions), well dried, free from smoky flavor, free of living
insects, free of foreign matter (nails, stones, glass pieces),
and broken beans. Variations are seen in percentage of fat
content and melting point according to variety and harvest
season. Physical characteristics also determine the market
price of the beans. Recommended bean weight is 1.01.2 g,
or 83100 beans for 100 g dry beans.
Recently, a major issue in certain growing regions has been
contamination with chemical residues, mainly pesticides,
free fatty acids (FFA), aflatoxins, ochratoxins, and heavy
metals. Only allowed pesticides should be used and labels
followed strictly. Poor hygiene during manufacturing can
lead to contamination with human pathogens (Escherichia
coli, Salmonella, and Shigella) and strict food safety standards must be applied during manufacturing process.

Product storage requirements and shelf life

Dried beans should be stored in sheds preferably in plain jute
bags (not treated with mineral oils) on wooden platforms to
avoid water damage. Because of high humidity in the tropics, storage periods should not exceed 3 months. The sheds
should also be away from sources of smoke contamination
such as wood fire or engine exhaust, and chemical containers. Precautions should also be taken to avoid storage pests
and bird droppings. The bags should be stored away from
the walls and regular inspection should be carried out to
check for storage insects and molds.

Storage of finished chocolate should be at 1013C (50

55F) and humidity less than 50%, away from strong odors.
Under these conditions chocolate is stable for years.

Recommended labeling
The labeling requirements for shipping raw beans or bulk
cocoa are far less important than labeling of the chocolate.
Labels should include contact information for the maker,
type of chocolate, and ingredients. Location of origin labeling is a new trend in marketing finished products and single
origin chocolates are being sold at higher prices. However,
farmers do not benefit significantly from the extra proceeds
unless sold under certain labels (including fair trade, ecofriendly, and organic).
New standards require nutritional labeling of the final product, mainly the caloric value, sugar, and fat content (saturated and unsaturated fats) per serving.
There are no special Hawaii standards for chocolate. In order to use the Made in Hawaii descriptor, at least 51% of
value of the product must be added in Hawaii.

SMALL SCALE PRODUCTION

Cocoa cultivation by small farmers in Indonesia (Sulawesi) is a good example of how the crop can be grown commercially in home gardens or in small farms of 0.51.0 ha
(1.22.5 ac) size. Here, the cocoa tree density is high (1,000
trees/ha or 400 trees/ac) and average annual pod yields are
25 pods/tree. If maintained well (i.e., good pest and disease
management, fertilization, etc.), yields up to 8001,000 kg/
ha (1,7602,200 lb) have been reported. With the current

Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing Profile for Cacao by Prakash Hebbar, H.C. Bittenbender, and Daniel ODoherty

16

price on international commodity market of $2,500/MT,

this can be a good income for small farms.

An important criteria is the ability to maintain the necessary

hygiene and food safety standards.

However, in Hawaii and many other Pacific islands, world

commodity prices are not economically feasible for farmers. Much higher prices must be fetched through accessing
high-value specialty markets.

Hawaii has a high-end chocolate confection industry, including chocolate covered macadamia nuts and roasted coffee beans, as well as truffles. Most Hawaii-grown cacao is
sold as dry beans to hobbyist and niche chocolate makers
and as roasted nibs.

Craig Elevitch

Craig Elevitch

Craig Elevitch

Adding value
As mentioned earlier, commercial products other than selling of raw beans, are not a simple undertaking for small
family farms, and require specialized skills and equipment.

Nutrition
New findings about the benefits of consuming cocoa drinks
are encouraging. Studies of the consumption habits of Kuna
Indians in San Blas, Panama is a good example. A locally
brewed cocoa drink rich in phytochemicals known as flavanols has been linked to a better blood chemistry of the
islanders than their counterparts in the mainland. New
clinical trials with human subjects consuming chocolate

Craig Elevitch

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture does not collect information on cacao production. Bittenbender estimates the
average Hawaii cacao farm size is 0.40.8 ha (12 ac); the
largest mature orchard is 7 ha (18 ac).

The tradition of consuming homemade cocoa is prevalent throughout Samoa. The simple processing method used there involves
roasting the dried beans over a fire and pounding them into a thick paste, which, mixed with sugar and hot water is served as koko
Samoa, Samoan hot cocoa.

Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry (http://agroforestry.net/scps)

17

Simple methods exist wherein the beans can be processed

to make raw cocoa, which can be used for preparing beverages with milk and sugar. This type of product is nutritionally superior to many of the processed products available
in the market, especially if high levels of flavanols are present. Higher flavanols in the end product can be achieved by
reducing the number of days of fermentation or by using
unfermented beans.

Craig Elevitch

or cocoa powder rich in flavanols confirm these findings

and continue to show that cocoa flavanols and cocoa butter
can help protect against high blood pressure, aid in recovery from heart attacks, and lower cholesterol, among other
health benefits. Cocoa powder is rich in proteins (18%), fat
(22%), carbohydrates (11%) and minerals (K, Na, Ca, Fe, P,
Mg).

Local markets
If the local demand for chocolate products is high, then good
quality cacao products have market potential locally. Therefore, local consumption of cocoa products can be encouraged by introducing new specialty products. Mentioning
documented health benefits, unique flavor or quality characteristics, or regionally identified products can strengthen
market position.
Export markets
The cost of temperature-controlled transportation is a factor
that may prevent reliable long distance chocolate products,
especially through standard air services. A range of other
cacao-based products that are not temperature sensitive
may be more feasible to ship.
Specialty markets
Although demand for single origin, organic, eco-friendly, or
fair trade products is still small, such markets are expanding. Attempts to market products to consumers in Japan and
Oceania should also be explored. As pests and diseases are
not an issue yet in the Pacific islands, organic cocoa from
Pacific islands is feasible.

Craig Elevitch

MARKETS

Craig Elevitch

Expected range of yields per plant

An average yield per tree is 25 pods per year. If well maintained (e.g., appropriate IPM, fertilization), approximately
1,000 trees/ha (400 trees/ac) yields up to 8001,000 kg dry
beans/ha (700900 lb/ac). A subsistence farmer who practices polyculture and has a lower density of cacao trees will
have lower yields per unit area. High yielding varieties can
help compensate for the lower densities of cacao trees in
agroforestry systems.

Craig Elevitch

YIELDS

Top: Chocolate combined with the Pacific island medicinal herb

kava (Piper methysticum). Middle: Crossover products such as
roasted coffee sold together with a packet of roasted cacao beans
can spark interest in customers who are looking for something
new. Bottom left: Chocolate-macadamia nut spread. Bottom
right: Raw processed cacao produced in Kona, Hawaii.

Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing Profile for Cacao by Prakash Hebbar, H.C. Bittenbender, and Daniel ODoherty

18

Hawaii farmers are selling beans to small chocolate companies and to hobbyists, as well as processed products to
farmers markets, gourmet shops, and roadside or farm stalls.
Suitcase exports by tourists are as important for chocolate
as they are for such crops as macadamia nuts and coffee in
Hawaii.

Branding possibilities
As mentioned above, single origin, organic, eco-friendly,
and fair trade are some of the branding possibilities that
countries in the Pacific regions should explore. Fermentation of cocoa beans to obtain unique flavors or introduce
high-flavor varieties are strategies that could be adopted to
differentiate a regional line of products. As tourism is an
important source of revenue, products catering to tourists
should be commercialized.
Potential for Internet sales
Internet sales can be explored, however, this would need
a strong customer base. Also, shipping chocolate products
from tropical locations could pose logistical challenges to
maintaining product quality. When even short periods of
high temperatures could spoil the product (e.g., chocolate),
other non-spoiling types of products should be considered
for export (e.g., nibs, powder, other products containing cocoa). There may also be a market for dry beans from hobbyists who process their own chocolate products.

EXAMPLE SUCCESSES
Waialua Estate Cacao Farm, Waialua, Oahu
Waialua Estate Cacao Farm cultivates about 8 ha (20 ac) of
cacao on former sugarcane land on Oahus North Shore.
The low elevation field just above sea level was chosen because it is protected from buffeting trade winds and lies near
a body of water (Kii Kii stream), which helps maintain humidity in what is typically a very dry area (average annual
rainfall 230 mm or 9 in). The farm was planted in 1996 as
part of a diversified agriculture program following closure
of Waialua Sugar Company. Michael Conway brought previous experiences of growing cacao on Hawaii Island in the
1980s to the operation. The project was leased out and eventually abandoned in 2001 but the field was rehabilitated and
brought into production again in 2004.

Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry (http://agroforestry.net/scps)

Michael Conway

The market for so-called superfoods and raw (unheated or

processed) products, including cacao, is an expanding area
in the health food market. By adopting short-term (<2 days)
fermentation methods, production of beans with high levels
of cocoa flavanols can also be marketed. However, quality
control is extremely important if attempts are made to target
the above high-end markets. Also, roasting to eliminate any
pathogens may be necessary.

Fermented cocoa beans drying on racks at Waialua Estate Cacao

Farm.

Trees are planted on 3.6 m 1.8 m (12 ft 6 ft) spacing,

which gives approximately 1,620 cacao trees/ha (630 trees/
ac). Mixed hybrid seedlings of Forastero, Trinitario, and
Criollo were planted from trees originating from varieties
collected in the 1980s. The annual yield of dry beans per tree
is 800900 g (1.752.0 lb). Total dry bean annual yield has
been 8,20010,000 kg (18,00022,000 lb).
Currently, Waialua Estate Cacao Farm harvests, ferments
and dries beans for processing into chocolate (bulk and
packaged) by E. Guittard Chocolate Co. in Burlingame, California. These products include 70% cacao extra dark, 55%
cacao dark, and 35% cacao milk chocolates. A distributor
on Hawaii Island handles all Hawaii sales except on Oahu.
Wailua Estates own sales and marketing manager takes care
of sales in the Oahu market and outside of Hawaii. In addition to retail sales, their products are sold through their
web site.
Waialua Estate considers their products to be unique due in
part to the taste of the chocolate, which is described as having deep, dark berry tones with a lingering taste. They have
received international recognition at the prestigious London Academy of Chocolate (2009, for Waialua 70% Chocolate) and at the Chocolate Salon Awards in San Francisco
(2010, for Waialua 35% Milk Chocolate). The mystique of
Hawaii helps to sell the product, as it is considered a new
entry among the worlds fine chocolates so long as the quality is high. Also, Wailua Estate has found that chocolatiers
are sensitive to the source of cacao these days and are intrigued by a U.S.-grown product and are willing to pay the
high price. Additionally, their product is pesticide-free.
The biggest challenge Waialua Estate faces is to get buy-in
from investors to expand the size of their farm to 60 ha (150
ac), which they consider to be the critical mass necessary
to justify construction of a chocolate manufacturing facil19

ity. They believe such a facility could bring down the cost of
production compared with shipping their cacao to the U.S.
mainland, then back to Hawaii. Their expansion scenario
includes a growers program modeled after the Kona coffee
industry, as this would be the main driver in producing a
reasonably affordable product together with a manufacturing facility in Hawaii. Waialua Estate also believes it is important to maintain the high quality of chocolate by all producers throughout the state so that everyone benefits from
an exceptional regional reputation.

Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory, Keauhou, Kona,

Hawaii
Bob and Pam Cooper grow cacao and process cocoa on their
farm at 240 m (800 ft) elevation. They bought their farm in
1997 when it was already producing coffee and cacao, but
it was the cacao that sparked their passion. Since then, the
Coopers have made a conscious effort to support the growth
of the Hawaii cocoa industry by building a medium scale
processing facility to make chocolate products from their
own and other farmers cacao.
Although they buy some wet beans from other local growers,
the Coopers carry out all farm and processing operations

including growing, harvesting, pod cracking, fermenting,

drying, roasting, winnowing, conching, tempering, molding, packaging, and storing in humidity and temperature
controlled room. Their processing facility yields a wide
range of value-added products including milk chocolate
and two types of dark chocolate (one made from Forestero
and one made from Criollo beans), roasted nibs, and cocoa bean winnowings that are used in cosmetics. A local
candy company produces a variety of candy products using
their chocolate. As part of their outreach to new markets,
the Coopers have regular tours of their farm and processing
facility.
Over 65 retailers currently carry their products throughout
Hawaii and they have sales representatives on Maui, Oahu,
Kauai and Molokai (the Coopers handle sales on Hawaii
Island themselves). According to the Coopers, reaching new
markets is one of their biggest challenges. They do a wide
variety of marketing and advertising. They have print ads in
local, regional, and national magazines and Hawaii airline
magazines. They frequently give talks at local farmers markets and fund raising events. They call retailers directly and
make presentations at hotels and retail venues. Occasionally they attend national chocolate or specialty food shows
on the U.S. mainland. Although they sell their products
through a web site, shipping chocolate is problematic since
it must be transported in controlled temperatures.

Craig Elevitch

Craig Elevitch

The Coopers believe they produce the first commercial

chocolate made with 100% Hawaiian cacao beans. They are
proud to be supporting small family artisan cacao growers
in their area, while expanding the Hawaii-grown chocolate
industry.

Top: Regular tours are given by the Coopers at their farm and
factory in Kona, Hawaii. Bottom: Wide range of products
made at the Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory.

Kuaiwi Farm, Captain Cook, Kona, Hawaii

Una Greenaway and Leon Rosner were inspired to begin
growing cacao after a tour of the Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory (see above example) in 2001. As a certified organic farm, the concept of eating homegrown organic chocolate inspired them, and the idea of creating a local product
for market captured their imagination.
Greenaway and Rosner acquired seeds and nursery-grown
seedlings from local nurseries and planted 200 trees on their
farm at 610 m (2,000 ft) elevation. Their trees were originally spaced at 1 m 2 m (3 ft 6 ft), but eventually half the
trees died, leaving 100 trees at approximately 2 m 2 m (6 ft
6 ft) spacing. As weed control can be demanding in an organic operation, they used weed mat around the trees until
they grew large enough to close canopy, suppressing weeds
with shade and their own leaf litter.
Familiar with processing their coffee crop to a final roasted,
packaged product, Greenaway and Rosner set about learning how to process their cacao from bean to finished chocolate. They learned about the chocolate making process from

Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing Profile for Cacao by Prakash Hebbar, H.C. Bittenbender, and Daniel ODoherty

20

 Craig Elevitch
Craig Elevitch

Top: Greenaway and Rosner lead a tour of their certified organic

cacao agroforest. Bottom: Chocolate-making workshop participants at Kuaiwi Farm squeeze molten chocolate into forms,
some with macadamia nuts and coffee beans.

a wide range of experts including local, mainland U.S., and

international chocolate makers through personal visits by
the experts and also via their web sites. Finally, there was a
great deal of trial and error to develop a small-scale process
that works for them. Greenaway and Rosner carry out all
steps in the process: fermenting, drying, roasting, cracking,
winnowing, grinding, conching, tempering, and molding.
When they have a surplus (beyond their own consumption),
they sell 110 gm (4 oz) bags of chocolate candy, some with
their macadamia nuts and some with coffee beans. Customers are friends and people who learn about them by wordof-mouth and on a farm tour. Kuaiwi Farm also presents
hands-on chocolate-making classes that introduce participants to all stages in the process, from fermentation to
chocolate candy. All participants leave the workshop with a
sample bag of chocolates that they made.

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
Cacao can be sold in any of three unprocessed forms: pods,
wet beans, or dry beans. From the farmers point of view,
Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry (http://agroforestry.net/scps)

selling pods is the easiest way to sell cacao. Extracting wet

beans requires extra postharvest cost and effort, and, being highly perishable, the wet beans require careful, timely
handling. If the farmer were to continue one step further to
fermenting and drying the wet beans, the dry beans could
be stored for lengthy periods and shipped long distances.
However, the marketing then becomes problematic. Alternatively, the farmer could consider vertical integration
with the intent to manufacture and market a final, end-user
product, such as chocolate. Other marketing possibilities
include using the husks for soap making, drying and selling
nibs, or exporting beans for chocolate manufacture on the
U.S. mainland. Ultimately, many growers will likely see their
most attractive marketing option to be selling wet beans to a
local processor who is willing and able to pay a higher price
for locally grown cocoa beans.
Regardless of the form in which the cacao is sold, the average farm gate price must be high enough to provide an acceptable profit but low enough to allow chocolate processing to remain economically feasible. Ultimately, each grower
will need to decide to what degree his or her expected profitability is adequate. Profit margins for both farming and
processing are relatively small, and in some years the margins might become so narrow that the farming and/or the
processing enterprise may not be economically profitable
in the short run. Based on data provided by representative
Kona growers, a well managed cacao enterprise that markets
its production as wet beans generates a healthy gross margin.
For full details of this analysis and a computational spreadsheet, see Fleming et al. (2009).

FURTHER RESEARCH
Potential for crop improvement
Adopting new high yielding and flavorful varieties included
in the Hawaii Statewide Cacao Trial or even propagating
the most outstanding seedlings in existing orchards should
be explored. Methods to rehabilitate old farms or replace
low yielding trees should be initiated as soon as possible.
Techniques exist to shorten the process by side-grafting on
older trees or air-layering large branches from high yielding
and quality trees.
Improving potential for family or community
farming
Community farming depends on individual farm size and
organizing farmers into associations. Community processing centers are a focal point for organizing farmers, as this
would serve to increase quantity of commercial cocoa available and also improve the quality by processing the beans
uniformly. This is key for cocoa importers or manufacturers
who buy raw cacao for processing.

21

Genetic resources
Cacao clonal materials are available in Hawaii from the
USDA cacao germplasm collection in Hilo or quarantine
stations at Reading University in the United Kingdom. Importing materials from Asian countries or Africa is not recommended due to the presence of invasive pests and diseases. Setting up a substation in one of the Pacific islands to
receive the materials and graft them to rootstocks is the first
step. Clonal gardens are also needed to facilitate the distribution of planting materials.

LITERATURE CITED AND OTHER

REFERENCES
Bartley, B.G.D. 2005. The genetic diversity of cacao and its
utilization. CABI Publishing, Cambridge, MA.
Belsky, J.M., and S.F. Siebert. 2002. Cultivating Cacao: Implications of sun-grown cacao on local food security and
environmental sustainability. Agriculture and Human
Values 20: 277285.
Bittenbender, H.C., and E. Kling. 2009. Making Chocolate
from Scratch. FS&T-33. CTAHR, University of Hawaii,
Honolulu. http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/site/Info.aspx
[accessed November 11, 2010]
Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionery Alliance
(BCCCA). 1996. Cocoa beans: Chocolate manufacturers
quality requirements. London, UK.
Cheesman, E.E. 194. Notes on the nomenclature, classification and possible relationships of cocoa populations.
Trop Agri 21:144159.

552, Georg-August-Universitt Gttingen, Germany.

http://ufgb989.uni-forst.gwdg.de/DPS/pdf/SDP17.pdf
[accessed November 11, 2010]
Motomayor, J.C., A.M. Risterucci, P.A. Lopez, C.F. Ortiz, A.
Moreno, and C. Lanaud. 2002. Cacao domestication I:
the origin of the cacao cultivated by the Mayas. Heredity
89: 380386.
Motomayor, J.C., A.M. Risterucci, M. Heath, and C. Lanaud.
2003. Cacao domestication II: progenitor germplasm of
the Trinitario cacao cultivar. Heredity 91: 322330.
Motomayor, J.C., P. Lachenaud, J.W. de Silva e Mota, R. Loor,
D.N. Kuhn, J.S. Brown, and R.J. Schnell. 2008. Geographic and genetic population differentiation of the Amazonian chocolate tree (Theobroma cacao L). PLoS One V3,
I0, e3311.
Rice, R., and R. Greenberg. 2000. Cacao Cultivation and the
Conservation of Biological Diversity. AMBIO, 29, 167
173.
Rolim, S., and A. Chiarello. 2004. Slow death of Atlantic
Forest trees in cocoa agroforestry in southeastern Brazil.
Biodiversity and Conservation 13: 26792694.
Schnell, R.J., C.T. Olano, A.W. Meerow, C. Cervantes-Martinez, C. Nagai, and J.C. Motomayor. 2005. Retrospective determination of the parental population of superior
cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) seedlings and association
of microsatellite alleles with productivity. J. Amer. Soc.
Hort. Sci. 130: 181190.
Silva C.R.S., A.V.O. Figueira, and C.A.S. Souza. 2001. Diversity in the genus Theobroma. In: Dias, L.A.S. (ed.)
Melhoramento gentico do cacaueiro. Vol. 1. FUNAPE,
Goiania, Brazil.

Fleming, K., V. Easton-Smith, and H.C. Bittenbender. 2009.

The economics of cacao production in Kona. AgriBusiness AB-1712. University of Hawaii, Honolulu. http://
www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/AB-17.pdf [accessed November 11, 2010]

USDA Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). 1999.

Fighting a Fungal Siege on Cacao Farms, Agricultural
Research. USDA-ARS.

Gadsby, P. 2002. Endangered Chocolate: The botanical battle

to save an ancient flavor. Discover, August 2002, Vol 23.

Wood, G.A.R., and R.A. Lass. 1985. Cocoa. Longman, London & New York.

Gotsch, N. 1997. Cocoa Crop Protection: an expert forecast

on future progress, research priorities and policy with the
help of the Delphi survey. Crop Protection 16: 227233.

Young, A.M. 1994. The Chocolate Tree: A Natural History of

Cacao. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington.

Hebbar, P.K. 2007. Cacao Diseases: A Global Perspective

from an Industry Point of View, Symposium Cacao
Diseases: Important Threats to Chocolate Production
Worldwide. Phytopathology 97: 16581663.
Lorenzi, H., S.F. Sartori, L.B. Bacher, and M. Lacera. 2006.
Brazilian fruits and cultivated exotics (for consuming natura). Instituto Plantarum de Estudos da Flora. So Paulo,
Brazil.
Maria, A. 2007. The Sweet Desire, Cacao Cultivation and its
Knowledge Transfer in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. SFB

OTHER RESOURCES
Internet
Open Directory page for cacao: http://www.dmoz.org/Science/Biology/Flora_and_Fauna/Plantae/Magnoliophyta/Magnoliopsida/Sterculiaceae/Theobroma
The Chocolate Life: http://www.thechocolatelife.com
Chocolate Alchemy: http://www.chocolatealchemy.com
World Cocoa Foundation scientific research and web site library: http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org

Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing Profile for Cacao by Prakash Hebbar, H.C. Bittenbender, and Daniel ODoherty

22

Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry (http://agroforestry.net/scps)

Farm and Forestry

Production and Marketing profile for
Cacao (Theobroma cacao)
Authors: Dr. Prakash Hebbar, CropBioSol Inc. Crop Management/IPM Consultants, 14533 Carona Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20905;
Email: [email protected]
Dr. H.C. Skip Bittenbender, Extension Specialist for Coffee, Kava and Cacao, Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, College of Tropical
Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), University of Hawaii at Manoa, 3190 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822; Email: hcbitt@
hawaii.edu
Daniel ODoherty, Research Assistant, Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
(CTAHR), University of Hawaii at Manoa, 3190 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822; Email: [email protected]
Recommended citation: Hebbar, P., H.C. Bittenbender, and D. ODoherty. 2011 (revised). Farm and Forestry Production and Marketing
Profile for Cacao (Theobroma cacao). In: Elevitch, C.R. (ed.). Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry. Permanent Agriculture
Resources (PAR), Holualoa, Hawaii. http://agroforestry.net/scps
Version history: December 2010, February 2011
Series editor: Craig R. Elevitch
Publisher: Permanent Agriculture Resources (PAR), PO Box 428, Hlualoa, Hawaii 96725, USA; Tel: 808-324-4427; Fax: 808-324-4129;
Email: [email protected]; Web: http://www.agroforestry.net. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Acknowledgments: Manuscript reviews by Nat Bletter, Michael Holwell, Ken Love, Robert Lumsden, Scot C. Nelson, Robert Osgood,
and Dapeng Zhang are gratefully acknowledged. The authors and editor thank Michael Conway and Pam and Bob Cooper for sharing
years of accumulated cacao knowledge and experience with Hawaii farmers and the general public. Many thanks to Kent Fleming
and Virginia Easton Smith for guidance in the economic analysis. The editor thanks Pam and Bob Cooper of Original Hawaiian
Chocolate Factory, who provided technical guidance and photo opportunities. Una Greenaway and Leon Rosner of Kuaiwi Farm
generously provided the editor with insights into small-scale chocolate making throughout the production of the manuscript and many
opportunities for photo documentation. We extend our appreciation to Scot C. Nelson for providing pest and disease photos.
Reproduction: Copies of this publication can be downloaded from http://agroforestry.net/scps. Except for electronic archiving with
public access (such as web sites, library databases, etc.), reproduction and dissemination of this publication in its entire, unaltered form
(including this page) for educational or other non-commercial purposes are authorized without any prior written permission from
the copyright holder. Use of photographs or reproduction of material in this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is
permitted only with written permission of the publisher. 201011 Permanent Agriculture Resources. All rights reserved.
Sponsors: Publication was made possible by generous support of the United States Department of Agriculture Western Region
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (USDA-WSARE) Program and the County of Hawaii Department of Research and
Development in partnership with the Big Island Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council. This material is based
upon work supported by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and
Agricultural Experiment Station, Utah State University, under Cooperative Agreement 2007-47001-03798.

Specialty Crops for Pacific Island Agroforestry (http://agroforestry.net/scps)

23