Cocoa has been cultivated for well over 3,000 years and remains one of the greatest discoveries of all time. The Aztecs valued chocolate so much they used the beans as a means of currency and also made xocolatl, a cocoa beverage which was drunk in court and during religious ceremonies. The process for cultivating, harvesting and processing cocoa beans has changed very little over the years:
“The
beans would have first been collected, left to ferment naturally, sun dried,
roasted in earthen pots, and de-shelled by hand. The kernels were then ground on
a slightly concave stone called a metate using a cylindrical grinder. At this
point, spices and herbs of various kinds, including vanilla, might have been added
to improve the taste. The resulting paste was then formed into cakes to cool
and harden. For consumption, the cakes would be broken up, dissolved in water,
and beaten to a foamy consistency.” – Cocoa and Chocolate Manual, deZaan
The Spanish were the first to discover the possibilities of
chocolate. They kept it a secret and conducted chocolate experiments for well
over 140 years before the secrets of the cocoa bean leaked out to other
European countries. Drinking chocolate became popular in Western Europe during
the 17th Century and was serving as a source of tax revenue for governments.
As the value of cocoa began to rise, attempts to cultivate varieties of
Theobroma Cacoa followed. However, because of it’s specific cultivation
requirements, initial efforts were met with disease and pests. Successful attempts
were close to the tree’s origin of Mexico, places such as Brazil and the
Caribbean Islands. By the late 17th century the Spanish had
introduced cocoa to Asia, setting up the first cocoa plantation in Indonesia.
Soon after, the seeds were taken over to West Africa where the Theobroma Cacoa
has thrived ever since.
Ghana is the second biggest exporter of cocoa, and produces
the highest quality cocoa in the world. Unlike it’s neighbour Ivory Coast who
is the biggest exporter of cocoa, Ghana maintains high standards due to the
country’s cocoa standards agency, COCOBOD. For Ghana, cocoa is a major export,
and a vast amount of money goes into maintaining and regulating this. Cocoa is a
cash crop, and for that reason most farmers will grow vegetables and fruit
alongside the trees. This encourages bio-diversity that enhances environmental
factors. This is only possible because the Ghanaian government does not allow
the ownership of cocoa plantations by foreigners. Ghana was also the first
cocoa producing country to start a farmer’s co-op, Kuapa Kokoo, who set an
example as Fair Trade cocoa producers for the rest of the world. This small
scale, regulated system of cocoa farming is unique and is why Ghana continues
to export premium cocoa beans.
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| Canopy created by Cocoa trees |
Most modern cocoa trees in Ghana are hybrids as they require
specific environmental conditions and year round tending to maximise yields. These
hybrids are much shorter (3 meters) then the original breed and can be grown in
closer proximity (3 meters apart). A mature cocoa plantation creates a low
canopy effect, blocking out 70% of sunlight and creating dense mulching on the
ground. This makes for ideal-growing conditions: it allows for less light competition;
allow for good airflow; and the soil retains sufficient moisture.
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| Cocoa pods grow directly of the trunk |
Most cocoa trees reach their bearing age after 4 years, and
will produce cocoa pods year round. The pods grow directly from the trunk of
the tree, developing to be 15-25cm long. The average cocoa tree can produce up
to 80 pods a year. Each pod contains approximately 30 beans. Once the cocoa
stops producing its maximum yield the tree is cut down and replaced. Time is
given for the ground to recover, by planting nitrogen, potassium and
phosphorous rich plants. These nutrient rich plants are edible, which serves as
an extra bonus for the farmer. Examples include plantain, banana, chillies, and
cassava. It is also advised that cocoa trees are grown in and amongst other
varieties of tall trees to protect them from extreme sunlight and to encourage
bio-diversity. In Ghana especially, projects to help promote cocoa farming
alongside agro-forestry have been extremely successful, producing high yields,
extending the life of the trees and preventing the spread of diseases.
Even through the pods are cultivated year round, there is
one main heavy harvest season, which extends from September through to
December. I followed a group of Ghanaian cocoa farmers in Akimoda during this
harvest period and I documented the process:
1. The cocoa pods are collected. A machete is used to cut the pod away from the trunk cleanly and carefully, making sure the pod and the tree are not damaged in the process
2. The pods are split, again using a sharp machete, being carful not to damage any of the beans inside the pod.
3. The beans are covered in a sweet sticky white pulp. This is scooped out into a basket. The husks are kept and ground-up to be used as organic fertiliser.
4. The pulp is collected and loosely covered with banana leaves as not to allow any pests in, but still allowing sufficient airflow. The pulp is left to ferment for seven days, being mixed every couple of days. This process develops the chocolate flavour and colour.
5. The fermented cocoa bean is then spread out on to large drying racks where they are left for a couple of weeks, being mixed every few days. The slow drying process intensifies the chocolate flavour and draws out the moisture content.
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| Left top: poorly fermented bean left bottom: poorly dried bean Right: well fermented and dried beans |
The beans need to be fermented properly and dried thoroughly
before they can be sold. Failure to do so could result in a contaminated/acrid
tasting batch that will not be bought by cocoa buying companies. New
geo-tracking systems allows for the COCOBOD to pick out areas where the process
may not be followed properly. In this case, extra training and support is given
to the farmers.
The farmer then takes his dried cocoa beans to the
purchasing clerk who weights the beans and pays the farmer accordingly. When
taken to the depot, the beans are dried for the second time to ensure
consistency. The beans are put into hessian sacks, labelled and stored in the
depot till there are enough sacks to make a journey down to the port.
At the port, the beans are sold to the government, and then
sold back to the buying company before being loaded onto cargo ships. This is a
necessary formality as legally all the cocoa in Ghana is owned by the Ghanaian
government.
The cocoa is either taken to Asia or Europe to be processed
into chocolate. The cocoa beans are taken to a chocolate press where the cocoa
beans are first cleaned, de-shelled, roasted, blended (to neutralise the
flavour) and ground. They then go through a press that turns the ground up
cocoa nibs into three different products: cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and cocoa
powder. To make chocolate, cocoa liquor and cocoa butter is combined with sugar
and milk powder.
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| Cocoa pressing |
As cocoa powder is the by product, when the demand for
chocolate goes up, there tends to be a great deal of cocoa powder that will
also become available on the market, and this may not coincide with the demand
of chocolate. Because of this the chocolate industry has had to find ways of
balancing the markets. Cocoa powder tends to be used in cheaper quality processed
foods and is even used in products to give an aroma of chocolate, rather then the
flavour of chocolate. Cheaper quality chocolates will also use vegetable fats
to substitute for cocoa butter during the manufacturing of chocolate, which is inexpensive
and also easier to obtain.
So the story of chocolate is rather fascinating. My simple
overview of the process is a glimpse into how chocolate comes from land to plate,
but the story is a great deal more complex then what I have portrayed. Corruption,
child labour, inequality, unfair prices, lack of farming inputs, access to
resources, climate change, pest and diseases, are all issues effecting cocoa farmers
in Ghana and around the world. Due to signing a letter of confidentiality I am
not allowed to discuss this information on my blog. But I will simply say that
as consumers we can make a choice, and an educated one at that. Don't be sucked
in by false pretences and promises that large manufacturing companies are
making. As these companies try to go ethical, we must question their objectives
and fully look into their motivations. Only first hand observations can tell
you the truth. What once used to be the food of the gods, has now turned into a
commodity that is trying to be capitalised on by wannabe gods. I’m sure you
know what companies I’m talking about…
