Cocoa tree: Characteristics, origin, effects and economic value of cocoa tree
Characteristics and origin of the cocoa tree
The cocoa tree has the scientific name Theobroma cacao, the tree originates from Mexico and Central American countries. This tree is known as "food of the gods". Later cocoa became a popular drink and created chocolate, a cultural feature in the cuisine of European people.
In our country, the cocoa tree was introduced a long time ago and is mainly grown in the Central Highlands and South Central Coast provinces. Thanks to the outstanding advantages this tree brings, it is grown as a tropical industrial crop for export purposes, bringing economic value to farmers and contributing to the national agricultural export turnover.
Morphological characteristics of the cocoa tree
Trunk: The cocoa tree is a woody tree, the average height of a mature tree is 5-7 meters, the trunk diameter is about 10 - 18cm. The trunk is quite rough, light brown.
Cocoa leaves: Their leaves are green, smooth and have quite clear veins. This is also one of the leafy trees.
Cocoa fruit is quite large, oval in shape, containing many small seeds inside. After taking the seeds, the cocoa pod can be dried and ground into animal feed.
Cocoa beans[nbsp]contain high nutritional value, used as raw materials to make cocoa powder, chocolate, etc
Can cocoa be grown in the North?
Cocoa is a tropical industrial plant, the most suitable temperature for the plant to grow is 25 degrees Celsius and humidity is about 70-85%. Therefore, in Vietnam, cocoa is only grown in the southern provinces, while the northern provinces cannot grow this type of tree.
Cocoa growing areas in Vietnam
In Vietnam , cocoa is mainly grown in the provinces of the South Central Coast, the Southeast, the Mekong Delta and the Central Highlands. In which, Dak Lak is the province with the largest cocoa growing area in the country with 1,400 hectares, achieving a yield of 2-2.5 tons of dry beans/ha and mainly concentrated in the districts of Krong Pac, Krong Ana, Ea Kar...
Up to now cocoa trees have not been grown in the North because of unsuitable climate conditions, too hot in the summer and cold in the winter. This makes the tree picky about growing conditions, leading to the tree not being able to withstand the climate and often dying.
Value and economic benefits from cocoa trees
According to statistical documents, every 100g of cocoa powder contains up to 39.5g of carbohydrates, 20g of protein, 127.5mg of calcium, 12.3g of iron, 705mg of phosphorus, 1600mg of potassium, 230mg of caffeine, 21 mg of sodium, 227 calories (kcal), 14 g of lipids, etc. In addition, cocoa powder is a nutritious food that helps the body supplement a large amount of vitamins such as vitamins A, D, B6, B12, Magnesium and many other nutrients that are beneficial to health
The economic benefits and nutritional value of cocoa fruit are indisputable, because the economic benefits they bring to agriculture and farmers are so great. Let's review some important points about the benefits of cocoa trees below:
Currently, cocoa prices are constantly maintained at around 70,000 VND/kg of dry beans. On the other hand, recently many businesses have invested in producing products from cocoa trees and have been well received by domestic and foreign markets, thereby increasing the demand for cocoa raw materials, and prices are always stable.
Cocoa is a type of tree that can be intercropped, so the model of cocoa intercropped in cashew and coffee gardens on the same area of land can reach 70 - 80 million VND/ha after deducting all costs.
It can be seen that compared to other types of intercropped trees in cashew gardens, cocoa has many outstanding advantages because it is not too fussy about care techniques and does not require much water.
Effects of cocoa fruit
Reduce menstrual cramps: drinking cocoa powder or dark chocolate will help relieve menstrual cramps.
Reduce the risk of obesity: Cocoa is low in fat and sugar, providing energy while making you feel full. So, if you want to lose weight healthily, use cocoa!
Support the treatment of asthma and allergies: theobromine and theophylline are two extremely effective anti-asthma substances, helping to relax the airways and fight inflammation.
Good for the immune system: cocoa contains antioxidants that help increase blood flow, make the intestines healthy, and limit stress. In addition, cocoa also helps reduce blood pressure and prevent blood clots.
Cocoa is good for teeth: cocoa beans contain polyphenols that help fight acid from penetrating tooth enamel, effectively protecting gums.
How to process cocoa beans?
After harvesting, cocoa beans need to be cleaned and pre-processed for preservation for later processing purposes. Currently, there are two simple cocoa processing methods that are most commonly used, including:
Cocoa Bean Incubation Method
Cocoa bean incubation is the most popular and effective method. Use a wooden barrel, then put the cocoa beans in the barrel, then cover it with banana leaves. After 48 hours, turn the beans in the barrel once. The incubation time is usually from 3 to 7 days until the beans turn chocolate brown, at which point the beans have finished fermenting.
Drying Method of Cocoa Beans
Clean the pulp of the beans with water, then dry them: after fermentation, the beans are cleaned and dried for about 8 - 15 days. After drying, the diseased beans must be selected and kept separately, and thus the preliminary processing stage is completed. The finished product is raw cocoa beans and can be sold to serve processing needs.
How to plant and care for cocoa trees
It is a long-term industrial crop with high productivity and economic efficiency. Farmers need to pay attention to the techniques and care for cocoa trees effectively according to the instructions below:
Soil: Before planting, make sure the soil is loose, not flooded, well-drained, and not contaminated with alum.
Seedlings: Choose healthy, pest-free trees with standard height and dark green leaves.
How to plant: Dig a hole, place the tree in the hole, then lightly cut the plastic bag outside. After planting, mound the soil around the bag, compact the base, and water it sufficiently to maintain moderate humidity. You can add grass, straw, duckweed, etc. around the base to ensure better soil moisture.
Watering: Water should be watered early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Watering enough, maintaining appropriate humidity helps plants grow faster and more smoothly.
Weeding: To ensure good plant growth, we must clear the grass around the base, this is also a measure to limit pests and diseases.
Pruning: Prune deep and overgrown branches so that the plant can focus on growing fruit, removing deep branches helps the plant grow better.
Fertilizing: Cocoa trees do not need too much fertilizer because they are susceptible to root rot. Therefore, on average, fertilize once every 2-3 months or you can base it on the growth of the tree.
How much does cocoa powder cost and where to buy seedlings?
Currently, there are many establishments on the market that supply cocoa powder with different prices. However, usually the price of pure cocoa powder will fluctuate around 130,000 - 170,000 VND/500gr.
Currently, there are many units on the market that provide cocoa seedlings. However, you should choose reputable establishments or seedling farms to ensure good quality, healthy and disease-free plants.