Cocoa Harvesting
- Harvesting is done by hand because the tree is sensitive and delicate
- Pods are broken by machetes and seeds scooped from pod
- A good worker can break 500 pods an hour
- Harvested beans quickly change color from cream to purple
- Beans are put in boxes and covered after harvesting
- Dried cocoa beans then ferment for about 5 days
- Dried beans are then ready for shipping to cocoa processing countries
- Fermented dried beans become deep brown and acquire the rich aroma of chocolate