CACAO TALK - PART 1

Do you like hot chocolate drink?
How about chocolate bar or chocochip?
I think all of you ever taste the delicacy of chocolate whatever it forms.
Maybe some of you prefer it in cake, choco bar, cream, candy, hot drink, iced or others form.
Whatever, it made from same fruit.
Do you know what is it?
Yeah... Chocolate is made from cacao seed.
Indonesia is the third largest cacao producer in the world.

cacao's nursery transplant

little plant (6 months old)

cacao tree (about two years old)

Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is a perennial tropical plant.
It's growth is so fast and adaptable to the barren land.
This plant will grow well on part shady area, but adaptable in shady and full sun area.

flowering and fruiting bark

A cluster of flowers

full bloom

On the optimum condition, flowering stage starts at the second year after transplanted.
Since  the fourth year after transplanted, this plant will produce fruits around the year, not depending on the season.
There are two type of cacao that mostly planted by the farmers in Indonesia.
There are red fruit and green fruit type.

green fruit type

red fruit type

We get the fruit right now, so... next we will pick  and process it.
I hope you enjoy this 'cacao talk'.
See you on the next part...