Cocoa Growing
Although a native of the Amazon basin and other tropical areas of South and Central America, where wild varieties still grow in forests, the cocoa growing area has extended to the Caribbean and beyond.
As the demand grew, cocoa farms started in the West Indies, the Far East and Africa and the price of cocoa beans gradually began to fall as greater quantities came onto the market.
Cocoa growing regions of the world |
Today the main Cocoa producing countries in the world are:
West Africa - Ghana, Nigeria and Cote D'Ivoire.
These countries have ideal conditions and grow the largest harvests, producing some of the best quality cocoa in the world. Cocoa was first planted in Ghana in 1879. In West Africa, cocoa is grown on small-holdings where the whole family works together.
South America - Brazil and Equador
Asia - Malaysia and Indonesia
In the Far East public and private farms have been developed as well as the small farms. Cocoa farming is a small, unsophisticated business as the planting patterns of cocoa trees make mechanisation impractical.
Most of the world's cocoa is grown in a narrow belt 10 degrees either side of the Equator because the trees grow well in humid tropical climates with regular rains and a short dry season. The cultivation of cocoa requires even temperatures between 21 and 23 degrees centigrade, and a constant rainfall of 1,000 to 2,500 mm per year, without hot dry winds and drought.
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