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HOW TO MAKE HUGE PROFIT TRADING AND EXPORTING OF COCOA SEEDS by Anaekwe Everistus Nnamdi
Providing employment for a large section of the population, agriculture remains a major source of economic activity in Nigeria. Nigeria produced 242 000 tonnes of cocoa in 2008. The National Cocoa Development Committee (NCDC), made up of the 14 cocoa producing states in the country, has distributed new high yield cocoa seedlings to cocoa farmers, and continues to allow the purchase of chemicals and inputs at 50% subsidy.
Cocoa ( Theobroma cacao L. ) is a native of Amazon region of South America. The bulk of it is produced in the tropical areas of the African continent. There are over 20 species in the genus but the cocoa tree Theobroma cacao is the only one cultivated widely.
In the 18th century the Swedish botanist, Carolus Linnaeus, renamed the cocoa tree giving it the Greek name Theobroma Cacao, now its official botanical name, which literally means ‘food of the Gods’.
Cocoa trees resemble English apple trees. They grow best under the canopy of tropical rainforests, seldom reaching more than 7.5 metres (25 feet) high. To flourish they need to be shaded from direct sun and wind, particularly in the early growth stages. Young trees are interspersed with new permanent or temporary shade trees such as coconut, plantains and bananas, following the clear-felling of the forest. In large Asian plantations, cocoa trees and coconut trees are planted together and both crops are harvested commercially.
Alternatively, forest trees are thinned out and the cocoa trees are planted between established trees.
Cocoa trees begin to bear fruit when they are three to four years old. They produce pink and white flowers throughout the year, growing in abundance after before the rain starts. However the pods grow straight out of the trunk and the main branches, which is most unusual. Only a small proportion of the flowers develop into fruit over a period of about five months. The trees are carefully pruned so that pods can be more easily harvested.
Each tree yields 20-30 pods per year. It takes the whole year’s crop from one tree to make 450gms of Chocolate.
The cocoa tree has broad, dark leaves about 25cm long, and pale-coloured flowers from which bean pods grow.The cocoa tree bears two harvests of cocoa pods per year. Around 20cm in length and 500gms in weight, the pods ripen to a rich, golden-orange colour.
Within each pod there are 20-40 purple, 2cm long cocoa beans covered in a sweet white pulp.
There are three broad types of cocoa – Forastero and Crillo, as well as Trinitario, a hybrid of the two. Within these types there are several varieties.
Forastero Producing the greater part of all cocoa grown, Forastero is hardy and vigorous, producing beans with the strongest flavour. The Forastero variety most widely grown in West Africa and Brazil is Amelondaro. It has a smooth yellow pod and pale purple beans.
CrilloWith its mild or weak chocolate flavour, Crillo is grown in Indonesia, Central and South America. Crillo trees are not as hardy and produce softer red pods, containing 20-30 white, ivory or very pale purple beans.
Trinitario Plants are not found in the wild as they are cultivated hybrids of the other two types. Trinitario cocoa trees are grown mainly in the Caribbean, but also in Cameroon and Papua New Guinea. The mostly hard pods contain 30 or more beans of variable colour, though white beans are rare.
Cocoa, currently one of the market