Nicaragua Cocoa Production

Nicaraguan Cacao: Characteristics, Types, and Management

Cacao is a tropical crop grown principally between 10° north and 10° south of the equator. Its beans are used primarily to produce chocolate and fats for food and cosmetic applications.

Theobroma cacao belongs to the Malvaceae family. It originated in South America and was domesticated in Mesoamerica. The traditional classification recognizes three broad cacao groups: Criollo, Forastero, and Trinitario.

Principal Cacao Types

Trinitario

Trinitario cacao originated in Trinidad through hybridization between Criollo and Forastero cacao. Its plants are genetically and morphologically diverse, producing green or pigmented pods and seeds ranging from dark violet to pale pink.

Criollo

Criollo cacao originated in northern South America and Central America. It is valued for its mild, aromatic flavor and is also found in Venezuela, the Caribbean, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, East Timor, and Java.

Criollo trees tend to be more susceptible to disease and less productive than other cacao types. Their elongated, deeply grooved pods often contain large, rounded beans with white or lightly pigmented cotyledons, relatively low tannin levels, and rich aromas and flavors.

Forastero

Forastero cacao originated in the Amazon basin and accounts for much of the cacao traded worldwide. Its pods are generally oval and short, with thick shells and relatively smooth surfaces. The beans are usually small and flattened, with pigmentation ranging from pale to intense violet.

Cacao Production in Nicaragua

Nicaraguan cacao grows under temperatures of approximately 22–27°C and annual rainfall of about 1,500–3,500 millimeters, ideally with at least 150 millimeters of rain per month.

Suitable soils range from clay to sandy loam. Sandy soils permit root penetration but may retain too little water for locations with pronounced dry periods. Cacao generally prefers soil with a dark, humus-rich horizon more than one meter deep, good drainage, adequate moisture retention, and good aeration.

Daytime relative humidity should remain above approximately 60%, especially during the dry season. Cacao is cultivated in Rivas, Granada, Río San Juan, Matagalpa, Jinotega, and Nicaragua’s Caribbean Coast.

Post-Harvest Management

Opening the Pods

Harvested pods should be opened carefully to prevent damage or contamination of the beans. Opening should take place immediately or within two days of harvest to reduce losses from disease.

• Keep beans and their surrounding mucilage in clean containers during transport.
• Process small, cut, flat, or stuck-together beans separately to protect overall quality and appearance.

Fermentation

Fermentation is one of the processes that most strongly influences cacao flavor and aroma. Beans may be fermented in wooden boxes with drainage holes, kept under cover, and protected from strong winds and animals.

Fermentation generally takes five to six days. The bean mass is turned on the second, fourth, and fifth days to introduce oxygen and promote even fermentation. During the process, mucilage drains away, temperature rises, the seed embryo dies, and flavor and aroma precursors develop.

The process is spontaneous: yeasts act first, followed by lactic-acid bacteria, acetic-acid bacteria, and other microorganisms. The cacao pulp contains glucose, fructose, and sucrose and initially has a pH of approximately 3.3–4.0 because of its citric-acid content.

Beans should not be washed before fermentation. Excessive fermentation can cause decay, acidity, and undesirable flavors that are difficult to remove during later processing.

Drying

Drying has four principal objectives:

1. Reduce the beans’ water content.
2. Prevent seed germination.
3. Preserve and develop bean quality.
4. Reach a moisture level that discourages bacterial and fungal growth.

Humidity, temperature, and drying time must be controlled so that beans neither remain too moist nor become scorched or roasted.

Storage and Selection

Beans should be graded by quality and size before storage. Sieves can separate larger premium beans from smaller beans. Proper storage conditions should preserve the moisture level and quality achieved during drying.