Better Farming Series 22 - Cocoa (FAO - INADES, 1977, 32 p.): Growing cocoa: What varieties of cocoa can be grown in Africa?

Better Farming Series 22 - Cocoa (FAO - INADES, 1977, 32 p.)

(introduction...)

Preface

Growing cocoa

Cocoa is grown on trees

What varieties of cocoa can be grown in Africa?

Why cocoa is grown

Choosing seeds and growing seedlings

(introduction...)

Choosing seeds

Sowing seed sin nursery beds or in baskets

Lifting seedlings from nursery beds

Choosing and preparing the plantation site

Choosing the site

Clearing the site

Preparing to plant cocoa trees

Planting cocoa trees in a plantation

Taking care of the plantation

(introduction...)

Weeding and soil cover

Pruning cocoa trees

Applying fertilizers

Protection from insects and diseases

Harvesting the pods

Processing cocoa beans

What varieties of cocoa can be grown in Africa?

2. Three main varieties of cocoa are grown in Africa:

Criollo
When Criollo pods are ripe, they are long, yellow or red, with deep furrows and big warts.
This variety does not produce as much as the others but the cocoa is of very good quality.
It is grown mainly in America.

Varieties of cocoa are grown in Africa

It is grown mainly in America

Forastero (Amelonado)

The pods are short, yellow, smooth without warts, with shallow furrows. This variety produces well, but the quality is not as qood as Criollo. It is crown a lot in Africa.

Trinitario This variety is a cross between Criollo and Forastero. The pods are long or short, red and yellow. It yields cocoa of fairly good quality.