Cacao Production

Introduction:
Potential for Cacao Production: The Philippines, with its tropical
climate and suitable soil conditions, possesses immense potential for
cacao production. This potential is further fueled by the increasing
demand for cocoa products both domestically and internationally.
- Supply Deficit: Despite this potential, the Philippines currently faces a
significant deficit in cacao supply, with local consumption exceeding
production. This gap presents a significant opportunity for local
farmers to meet the growing demand.
• - Global Demand: The global market for cocoa products is robust and
steadily growing. This presents a significant opportunity for the
Philippines to become a competitive player in the international cocoa
market, contributing to the country’s economic growth and
agricultural sector.
Morphology
Tree: The cacao tree is a small, evergreen tree typically reaching a height of
4-8 meters. It has a smooth, gray bark and spreading branches with large,
glossy leaves.
- Flowers: Cacao flowers are small, pink or white, and grow directly on the
trunk and branches of the tree, a phenomenon known as cauliflory. They are
pollinated by insects, primarily small midges.
- Pods: Cacao pods are large, oval-shaped fruits that grow on the trunk and
branches of the tree. They can vary in color from green to yellow to reddish-
brown when ripe. Each pod contains 20-40 beans surrounded by a white
pulp.
• - Beans: Cacao beans are almond-shaped, ranging in color from light
brown to dark brown. They are covered in a thin, papery skin and contain
a high percentage of fat (cocoa butter) and other compounds that give
chocolate its flavor and aroma.
 Selection of Varieties
- Registered Varieties: The National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) has registered and
approved only 9 varieties/clones of cacao in the Philippines. These varieties are selected for
their desirable traits, such as high yield, disease resistance, and flavor.
- Variety Descriptions: The document provides detailed descriptions of five approved
varieties: BR 25, ICS 40, UIT 1, K 1, and K 2. These descriptions include:
- BR 25: Known for its reddish-brown pods, moderate disease resistance, and Amelonado
pod shape (ovoid with a diameter greater than 50% of the length).
- ICS 40: Characterized by elongated cylindrical pods with ridges, a rugose surface, and a
pronounced bottleneck. It is considered moderately resistant to pests and diseases.
- UIT 1: Has Cundeamor pod shape (elongated cylindrical with ridges), a pod length of 20.7
cm, and a width of 8.65 cm. It is moderately resistant to pests and diseases.
- K 1: Features Amelonado pod shape with superficial ridges and a smooth surface. It is
known for its reddish-brown pods that turn yellow/orange when mature and is moderately
resistant to pests and diseases.
• - K 2: Also exhibits Amelonado pod shape and is moderately resistant to pests and
diseases.
Propagation by Seeds

- Seed Collection: Cacao seeds are collected from ripe and healthy pods. Select
uniform seeds, discarding any that are swollen or misshapen. Larger seeds are
preferred as they are more likely to produce vigorous seedlings. Remove the mucilage
covering the seeds by rubbing them with sawdust or sand.
- Seed Treatment: Cacao seeds are susceptible to fungal attacks. To prevent this, soak
cleaned seeds in a fungicide solution for about 10 minutes, following the instructions
on the label.
- Seed Germination: After treatment, spread the seeds on wet sacks and cover them
with wet newspaper for 24 hours. Keep them moist but well-ventilated to avoid fungal
growth. Seeds that show signs of germination (a pigtail-like root appears on one side)
are ready for sowing.
• - Potting Medium: Use 8” x 10” polybags filled with a suitable potting medium. Mix
completely composted organic materials with soil to improve water holding capacity,
nutrient content, and soil texture. Sterilize the soil by boiling it with water in drums
or using solar drying. Loamy to sandy loam soils are best for raising seedlings. Liming
is used for soils with a pH lower than 5.
Nursery Establishment and
Management
Site Selection: Choose a nursery site that is near roads, has flat ground, access to quality
water sources (free from saline waters), and is free from water-logging with nearby drainage
facilities.
Shading: Cacao seedlings require shade. 0 to 2-month-old seedlings need 70 to 80% shade.
Gradually reduce the shade as the seedlings grow to prepare them for field planting.
Polybag Arrangement: Arrange the polybags systematically in twin rows with alternate
paths of 45 cm in width. This facilitates maintenance and grafting. Space the seedlings 25
to 30 cm apart starting from the middle point of the polybag. Increase the spacing as the
seedlings grow.
Weeding and Fertilization: Control weeds manually or by mulching with available materials
like rice hull. Fertilize the seedlings after the first leaf hardens. Incorporate 15-35 grams of
diammonium phosphate (18-48-0) per bag, depending on the size of the polybag. Apply
granular fertilizer when the leaves are dry to avoid leaf scorching.
• Culling/Selection: To ensure uniform growth, remove poor-growing seedlings from the
nursery. This includes seedlings that did not germinate, small, crinkled seedlings, and any
that show signs of disease or pest infestation.
Transplanting
- Pre-Transplanting Preparation: Rotate the polybags a
few degrees one week before field planting to reduce
transplant shock. Water the seedlings for a few days after
rotating.
- Field Planting Timing: Start field planting at the onset of
the rainy season. Unless irrigation is available, avoid
planting during the dry season.
• - Planting Hole Preparation: Dig planting holes that are
30 cm wide x 30 cm long x 30 cm deep. Separate the
surface soil from the subsoil.
Vegetative Propagation
Advantages: Vegetative propagation offers several advantages over seed propagation, including:
- True-to-type trees: The resulting plants will be genetically identical to the parent plant,
preserving desirable traits.
- Uniform growth: The plants will grow at a similar rate and produce fruits at a similar time.
- Early flowering: Vegetatively propagated plants tend to flower and fruit earlier than seedlings.
- Perpetuation of desirable traits: Vegetative propagation allows farmers to maintain specific
traits, such as high yield, disease resistance, and flavor.
- Types: Three common vegetative propagation techniques used for cacao are:
- Patch budding: This technique involves grafting a bud from a desired variety onto a seedling
rootstock.
- Nodal grafting: This method involves grafting a node (a section of stem containing a bud) from
a desired variety onto a seedling rootstock.
• - Conventional cleft grafting: This technique is similar to grafting mangoes, where the
rootstock is cut horizontally, and a scion (a section of stem from a desired variety) is attached
to the rootstock with an inverted V shape.
Planting and Farm Establishment

- Soil Requirements: The ideal soil for cacao is aggregated clay or loamy sand with 50% sand, 30-40%
clay, and 10-20% silt. A deep soil (about 150 cm) is highly favorable for cacao growth. The ideal pH
range for cacao is 5.0 to 6.5.
- Climatic Requirements: The ideal temperature range for cacao is between a mean maximum of 30-
32°C and a mean minimum of 18°C. The ideal altitude is between 300-1200 meters above sea level,
with the most suitable temperature generally found at altitudes up to 700 m. Cacao thrives best in
areas with an evenly distributed rainfall throughout the year (Type IV climate).
- Establishment of Shade Crops: Newly planted cacao trees need 75% shade (25% direct sunlight)
during their first year. This can be reduced to 50% shade in the second year. After that, cacao trees
need only about 25% shade for the rest of their lifespan.
- Suitable Shade Crops: Permanent shade crops that have a thin canopy, tall trunks, and do not
defoliate seasonally are ideal for intercropping with cacao trees. Some suitable shade crops include
coconut, cashew, longan, durian, mango, and mangosteen.
- Planting Arrangement: Plant both cacao and shade trees at 6 x 3 m spacing.
• - Staking and Spacing: Mark planting points with stakes using suitable size and length of cable wire
or guide from straight line planting. The planting density of cacao varies from 400-1100 plants/ha,
depending on shade from existing trees, tree crops, and soil fertility. In the case of intercropping in
coconut and cashew, the density of cacao averages about 600 plants/ha.
Care and Maintenance

- Weeding: Control weeds manually by ring weeding, removing weeds

within a 1-meter radius from the stem using a sickle.
- Fertilization: Fertilize cacao trees based on soil analysis. If soil analysis
is unavailable, use the recommended rates of fertilizer application for
various ages of trees as shown in Table 1.1 in the document.
- Pruning: Pruning is essential for:
- Increased cacao production: Pruning helps to increase the number of
pods on the tree.
- Pest and disease control: Pruning helps to reduce pest and disease
infestation.
• - Shaping the tree: Pruning helps to shape the tree for easy access for
harvesting.
Care and Maintenance
STEPS
- Remove low hanging branches and those that grow downwards.
- Remove chupons (suckers) on the stem.
- Remove shoots and additional branches within 60 cm of the jorquette (the point where the trunk branches).
- Remove dead, diseased, and badly damaged branches.
- Top prune the highest branches (up to 4m) to keep the tree short for easy harvesting and maintenance.
- Open the center of the tree by pruning in the shape of a champagne glass to reduce humidity and increase sunshine.
- Pest and Disease Management:
- Cacao Pod Borer: Regular harvesting (weekly harvesting of all ripe pods), sanitation (bury empty pod husks, remove diseased
pods), pruning, bagging or sleeving young pods, and fertilizer application can help control this pest.
- Vascular Streak Dieback: Sanitation pruning, polyethylene roofing in nurseries, reduced shade, and planting VSD-tolerant varieties
can help manage this disease.
- Black Pod Rot and Canker: Frequent harvesting, removal of infested pods, pruning, good drainage, and scraping off infected bark
can help control this disease.
- Helopeltis: Heavy pruning to allow better visibility and application of control methods, as well as careful pruning and reduced
shade, can help manage this pest.
- Stem Borer: Cut off infested branches, burn infested branches, plug holes with mud or wood, and poke out or squirt soap solution
into holes to control this pest.
- Leaf Eaters: Chemical control and shade management can help control leaf-eating insects.
• - Blisters and Black Spots: Chemical control and shade management can help control sap-sucking insects.
Harvest Management
Pod Harvesting: Harvest ripe pods, avoiding green or overripe pods. Use secateurs for a clean and safe harvest, protecting the flowering
cushions.
- Pod Storage: Collect pods and store them for 7-9 days for quicker fermentation and better flavor of cocoa beans.
- Pod Opening and Bean Removal: Use a non-sharpened steel blade to crack the pod and twist it open. You can also use a wooden hammer or
crack two pods together. Discard the placenta, pulp, soft or empty beans, germinated beans, and damaged beans. Properly dispose of pod
husks to avoid pest and disease buildup.
- Bean Fermentation: Fermentation is crucial for developing the flavor and aroma of cocoa beans. During fermentation:
- Turn the bean mass after 2 days (48 hours) and 4 days (96 hours).
- Drain the juices (sweatings) from the bean mass.
- Use properly constructed wooden boxes with slats or baskets.
- Cover the beans with banana leaves and jute bags or cloth rags.
- Fermentation will be completed in about 5-6 days.
- Mix the beans using wooden tools or hands.
- Bean Drying: Dry fermented beans immediately under the sun on drying trays or baskets, turning them regularly.
- Cover the beans with plastic shelters during rain or remove them to a dry spot.
- Separate bean clusters, remove pod placenta, and discard flat, damaged, or germinated beans.
- Avoid using wood-fired kilns that produce smoke, as this is not an approved drying method and will result in smoke-contaminated cocoa.
- Bagging and Storage: Bag the dried beans and store them in a dry and ventilated place on a wooden pallet. Avoid putting hot beans into
plastic bags to prevent mold and moisture buildup.
• - Record Keeping: Maintain records of harvest, fermentation, and drying activities, including the weight of pods harvested, wet beans
fermented, beans dried, and dates of each activity.
Processed Cacao Products

Cocoa Beans: Cocoa beans are the raw material for various cocoa
products. They are classified based on their origin, flavor profile, and
quality.
- Cocoa Butter: Cocoa butter is extracted from cocoa beans through a
pressing process. It is a natural, edible fat used in chocolate making,
cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.
- Cocoa Powder: Cocoa powder is produced by grinding roasted cocoa
beans and removing cocoa butter. It is used in baking, beverages, and
other food products.
• - Chocolate: Chocolate is produced by combining cocoa powder,
cocoa butter, sugar, and other ingredients. It is available in various
forms, including dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate.
Philippine Manufacturers Standards for Cocoa Beans

Quality Standards: The Philippine manufacturers have established standards for cocoa beans, ensuring quality and consistency. These
standards cover parameters such as:
- Bean count: 100 beans per sample.
- Fully fermented: 80-90% of the beans must be fully fermented.
- Mouldy: Maximum 3.0% mold content.
- Slaty/Salty: Maximum 3.0% slaty or salty beans.
- Insect damaged/infested: Maximum 2.5% insect-damaged, infested, or germinated beans.
- Waste/flat beans: Maximum 1.0% waste, flat beans, fragments, shells, or nibs.
- Waste, foreign matter: Free from foreign matter.
- % nibs: Maximum 85.0% nibs.
- % shell: Maximum 15.0% shell.
- % moisture: Maximum 7.0% moisture.
- Hp: 5.0-5.7.
- Uniformity: Not more than 12% of the beans should be outside the range of +/- 1/3 of the average weight.
- Odor and flavor: No off-flavor from over-fermentation, smoky, or hammy beans.
- Bean cluster: Free from bean clusters.
- Insects: No live insects on or in the bags of cocoa beans.
- Packaging: 62.5 kg per bag.
•
Farm Maintenance

• Infrastructure Maintenance: Regularly maintain roads,

canals, and drainage systems to ensure easy access
and prevent waterlogging.