Being a highly nutritious crop to the farmers, the quality and quantity of harvest is determined by the level of technology used.
Due to fact that cocoa production earns to farmers income, plant new seedlings which are far away from any infected tree and bully/ prune healthy cocoa tree to produce bigger pods as insects and disease do not attack pruned trees.
Crop management
First, after harvesting, cut some branches before flowering and prune tree to be not higher than 4 metres tall to provide more sunlight and air for tree and prevent black pod disease. Buy fertilizers from certified trader after counting plant population and apply to plants at 1 month at a spacing of 10*10m .
Similarly, store bags of fertilizers in dry clean place, slash weeds 3 times a year to clean the farm and before rains start, take off all rotten and black pods and burn them to reduce on disease. Fertilize cocoa plants when rain starts and watch field for black pod diseases and spray with fungicides as well.
Visit the farm regularly and harvest ripe pods for every 2-3 weeks and 3 days after harvesting, break them open and make bed of leaves under shade where fresh cocoa beans are put and heap is covered with leaves fixed with wood.
Additionally, every 2 days, open heap, turn the beans and after 6-7 days, completely open bean heap and spread in sunshine on a dry table and turn them at least 2 times a day and remove any waste. Beans are dry when they crack when pressed lightly. Cover beans every evening or during rain, cover beans with plastic cover and make sure dry cocoa beans dont mould.
Finally, store them in clean cute bags on wooden pallets in dry place away from walls.
