CACAO TECHNOLOGY

RESOURCE MANUAL

This publication may be reprinted or reproduced in part or whole with prior

written permission from the publisher.

Bibliographic Citation:

ESPINO, R.R.C., RAMOS, J.V. (editors)

Cacao Technology Resource Manual, Quezon City
Department of Agriculture, 2008. DA-GMA HVCCP, 2008
and Cocoa Foundation of the Philippines, Inc., 2008___p.
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 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

FOREWORD

The officers and members of the Cocoa Foundation of the Philippines

(CocoaPhil) came up with this “Cacao Technology Resource Manual,” in
coordination with the DA High Value Crops Development Program.

Philippine agriculture today is presented with an extraordinary

opportunity. We have crossed the pathway towards the 21st century, and
we are beginning a new journey into modernization and competitiveness
– into equitable progress and an era of greater opportunities and
wealth for the Filipino small farmers, fisherfolk, entrepreneurs and their
communities. And we all agree that this can be done by encouraging
them to diversify, and produce various commodities of increasingly good
quality.

This manual – which features the best practices and most relevant
technologies in cacao farming – is a demonstration that what we have
tasked ourselves to achieve under the Cacao Industry Road Map is
possible. We are convinced that cacao is indeed a viable and profitable
intercrop that could provide Filipino farmers with additional incomes and
livelihood opportunities, as well as agro-ecological benefits in terms
of enhancing pest and disease management, deterring insects from
infesting a farm and improving soil condition.

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CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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Admittedly, there are existing bright prospects for the industry,

considering the world’s increasing demand for cocoa beans, of which the
country’s current 5, 800 hectares of cacao farms yield 6,000 metric tons
annually could only satisfy one-fifth of our average annual requirement
of 30,000 tons. And we have potential areas, totaling at least 100,000
hectares of coconut farms nationwide, which could be intercropped with
cacao.

We therefore pledge our continued support to revive and massively

promote cacao farming in the country – by providing our farmers with
technical, logistical and marketing assistance, including the conduct of
consultations and training programs – through the DA’s High Value Crops
Development Program.

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 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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The potential for a thriving and profitable cocoa industry in the

Philippines is very good. Planting cacao in existing coconut farms, and/
or with other agronomic suitable companion crops will provide additional
and diversified incomes for farmers, and generate employment, while
contributing to maintaining the biodiversity and ecosystems.

With the expected increases in demand for quality cacao in the next
15 to 20 years, massive planting of cacao under coconut trees would
contribute to increases in the volume, quality and the value of agriculture
production for domestic consumption and for exports; number of farms
engaged in diversified farming; number of agri-businesses engaged in
export activities and, contribute to creation of full time on and off farm
jobs.

Having enlisted among the priority high value commercial crops, the
need therefore to orient cacao production systems to market opportunities
or buyers specifications is imperative and inevitable, hence, efforts in
coming up with this Cacao Technology Resource Manual has been
geared towards this end.

It is hoped that the technologies and practices presented in this

Manual will be adopted and serve as a tool that will help empower the
private sector, particularly the farmers and entrepreneurs, in order to
expand investments in cacao, and thereby increase their contribution to
the overall economic growth, producers’ income and consumer health
and welfare.

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MESSAGE
Sustainable cacao production requires farmers’ access to adequate
technology and market information to be able to arrive at sound decisions.
Practical cacao farm management approaches, alternative and low-cost
mechanisms in combating pests and diseases and improved cacao
varieties are available as outputs of research activities in several foreign
and domestic researches and academic institutions.

A farmer should be able to maximize the productivity level of the

farm unit while sustaining production of quality products in order to attain
competitive advantages. Low agricultural productivity is a major cause of
rural poverty in countries with relatively large small hold agriculture sector
like the Philippines. Evidence indicates that there is a significant “practice
gap” in agriculture: the available knowledge about yield increasing or
cost reducing simple agricultural practices is not used extensively for
a variety of reasons. This results in a situation where the farmer has
difficulties to pay for his children’s education, to spend money on farm
inputs or to save money at the bank. Access to credit is very bad. Thus,
the productivity remains low. This cycle needs to be broken.

This Technology Resource Manual is endeavoured for an ultimate

objective of enabling cacao farmers to produce the quality and volume
required by the markets by providing them with the right tools, building
and assets necessary for them to foster their own development, and
thus, provide opportunities for the next generation.

The information contained in this manual is hoped to result to

increases in cacao production, open up business opportunities for
planting materials propagators, generate investments on fermentation
and drying centers, among farmers’ groups, and expand operations for
domestic grinders and cacao products processors. The fact that cocoa is
more than just having economic importance, its being part of the Filipino

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 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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culture and tradition in most households in the Philippines will increase

the rate at which investors and consumers are willing to contribute to the
growing industry.

At this stage of our advocacy for equitable growth and development

we enjoin a more comprehensive and sustained collaborative efforts
of the industry stakeholders: national government institutions; local
government units; foreign and local donor institutions and development
organizations; and most importantly, the farmers in pursuit of the path
towards sustainable cacao industry in the Philippines.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VII
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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Acknowledgement
We are grateful to the Department of Agriculture High Value Crops
Development Program, the National Agricultural & Fishery Council, and
the World Cocoa Foundation for the enduring support being extended
in pursuit of the development of the Philippine cacao industry, a part
of which is our being able to publish this Cacao Technology Resource
Manual.

We greatly appreciate the expertise, information and time contributed

in several ways by Filipino and foreign stakeholders in the preparation
of this Manual. Acknowledgement is due to Dr. Smilja Lambert of Mars,
Incorporated, for the comprehensive information shared on fermentation
and drying practices; Mr. B.K. Matlick of WCF for sharing information
on solar drying experiences and practices ·in other cacao producing
countries; to Mr. Peter van Grinsven of Mars, Incorporated, for several
cacao production and industry sustainability advises; to Dr. Romulo L.
Cena, University of Southern Mindanao for the reference materials and
technical advises; to Dr. Eulito Bautista, of Philrice for the development
of shredder for cacao pod husks and its composting procedures; for
the support extended by Director Rogelio Chio and the HVCCP staff
of DA-RFU XI; to the staff of the HVCCP main office in Quezon City
for the continued assistance extended in many ways, especially to
Jennifer E. Remoquillo; and, to the Bureau of Agriculture and Fishery
Products Standard for facilitating the development of the Philippine
National Standard for Cacao. We are also taking this opportunity to
express gratitude to the ACDINOCA for extending the support from the
USAID for the implementation of the SUCCESS Phase 1 Project that
gave us opportunity to test and verify strategies and technologies at the
farm level, as well as of the support from the USDA for the SUCCESS
Phase 2 Project that allowed us to expand and gear up the advocacy
and promotion for sustainable cacao industry in the Philippines with the
adoption of the technologies and practices contained in this Manual.

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 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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Table Of Contents

Establishment of Budwood Garden/Scion Grove 1

Site Selection
Varieties to be Used
Maintenance

Establishment & Management of Cacao Nursery 7

Site Selection
Site Establishment
Preparing the Growing Medium
Proper Care of Seedlings in the Nursery

Propagation of Planting Materials 11

Propagation By Seeds
Vegetative Propagation
Patch Budding
Community Nodal Grafting
Single Nodal Side-grafting
Conventional Cleft Grafting

Field Planting 21
As an Intercrop to Existing Coconuts
Planting on Open Areas/ Logged-over Areas

Pruning 25
How to Determine which Branches to Prune
How to Cut Large Branches
Direction to Determine the Branches to be Cut Off
Types of Pruning
Pruning Technique: Non-propagated
Pruning Technique: Propagated Trees

Rehabilitation of Cacao Trees 31

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Plant Nutrition 36
Recommendation for Taking Soil Samples
Average Nutrient Application at Different Ages

Making Compost Using Pod Husks 40

Materials
Preparation

Management of Common Pests & Diseases 44

Methods
Recommended Mechanisms in Managing
Common Pests and Diseases

Harvesting & Postharvest Operations 49

Pods Harvesting
Pods Breaking and Removal of Seeds
The Fermentation Process
Cacao Beans: Drying Process

Standard Quality Specification 58

Sampling
Procedures for Determining the Bean Count
Procedures in Determining Defects Through Cut Test
Procedures in Determining the Moisture Content
Procedures in Determining Waste

Marketing 64

References 68

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 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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The production of good quality cacao beans starts with the

right variety. It is then assured with the adoption of appropriate tree
culture and farm practices, harvesting, fermentation and drying. It
requires conscious effort on the part of the farmers to ensure that
cacao beans meet the standard of quality required in the market.

While this concern addresses the economic well being of a cacao

farmer, he should also be responsible in assuring the well being of
the future cocoa farmers. The farmers’ endeavor must, therefore,
be hinged on the concept of sustainability and environmental
accountability.

The farmers’ effort necessitates continued support primarily

in terms of technology and market updates. The availability,
accessibility and timeliness of such information obtained at least
cost, are major enabling factors for farmers to arrive at sound
farm decisions. This context emphasizes the significant role of the
extension agents and the farmer-leaders as links between farmers
and technology sources, as well as between farmers and the
market. Thus, the extension capabilities of the extension agents and
the farmer-leaders should be enhanced to help the cacao farmers
maintain a steady source of income and be at the mainstream of
the cocoa industry.

This technology resource manual shall be a friendly guide on

the verified technologies and practices on cacao production that
could share when they conduct trainings for farmers. It contains
basic steps, methodologies, practices and considerations in
growing cacao based on technologies from both private and public
research institutions.

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 establishMent
of budwood
garden or
scion grove

Objective:
To be able to know the requirements and procedures
in establishing a ready source of budwood materials
to be used in the vegetative propagation of cacao
planting materials.
CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

INTRODUCTION

A basic requirement to ensure successful promotion of the expansion

of plantation crops like cacao is the availability of low-cost, high quality
planting materials. In cacao, planting of seedling from desirable mother
trees has been a practice, but some new methods of vegetative propagation
were found to give more advantages in terms of reproduction of true to
type trees, more uniform growth, early to bear flowers, and the clone
perpetuates most if not all important characters of the original seedling
mother tree like pod value, bean
size, fruit wall thickness and
others. Adoption of vegetative The budwood site should
propagation requires the be st√ategically located
availability of source of budwood fo√ easy access of
materials/scions of approved and fa√me√s/p√opagato√s.
recommended varieties.

BUDWOOD/SCION GROVE
SITE SELECTION

1. Deep, well-drained, porous, loamy, fertile and well-aerated soil.

2. Water table must drop to not less than three feet below the surface of
the ground soon after a heavy rainfall
3. Soils should be high in organic matter which are necessary to promote
satisfactory growth
4. It must be away from any shade trees
5. Should be fenced with hog and barbed wires to protect it from stray
and domestic animals
6. Should be established near the nursery.

VARIETIES TO BE USED

Planting of 3 to 5 varieties/clones of cocoa in a farm is recommended

primarily to enhance pollination. The recommended clones/varieties to be
used are preferably the following approved clones by the National Seed
Industry Council (NSIC).

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NSIC APPROVED CLONES

a) BR 25 c) K2 e) ICS 40
b) K1 d) UIT 1 f) UF 18

CC-99-05 (BR 25)

• Reddish (red with green) pod color when still young that turns
yellow as it matures.
• Leaves are elliptical in shape with wavy leaf margins.
• Leaf length and width ratio is 11.0 cm is to 4.04 cm.
• First flowering starts at 16.12 months and fruiting follows at 17.70
months.
• Pod shape is Amelonado characterized by an ovoid shape without
a prominent point and with a diameter greater than 50% of the
length.
• It has superficial ridges, and usually smooth surface, although
they can be rugose in some cases with a small bottleneck.

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• Pod index is 23.1 pods/kg in dried beans. Pod length is 17.02 cm

and has a width of 7.07 cm.
• The number of beans per pod is 27 and violet in color .
• It has moderate resistance to known insects, pests and diseases.

K1
• It has an elliptical leaf shape with smooth leaf margins .
• Leaf length is 31.31 cm with a mean width of 13.44 cm .
• It flowers at 23.20 months and bears fruit at 25.10 months .
• Pod shape is Amelonado with superficial ridges and a smooth
surface. Rugosity also appear in some cases.
• Pod index is 19.20 pods/kg of dried beans. Pod length is about
17.97 cm and has width of about 8.67 cm.
• Pod is red in color while still young and becomes yellow/orange
when mature.
• It has a pod wall thickness of around 1.80 cm.
• A hundred beans would weight about 182 grams and the bean
color is violet.
• It has moderate resistance to known insects, pests and diseases.

K2
• Leaf shape is elliptical with smooth leaf margins .
• Leaf length is 32.73 cm with a mean width of 12. 52 cm .
• It flowers at 21.10 months and bears fruit after three months or at
24.12 months.
• Pod shape is Amelonado and is red in color while still young and
becomes yellow/orange when mature.
• It has a pod wall thickness of around 1 .40 cm with 34 beans per
pod.
• Pod index is 25 pods/kg of dried beans .
• It has moderate resistance to known insects, pests and diseases.

CC-99-02 (UIT 1)
• It has an elliptical leaf shape with wavy leaf margin.
• Leaf length and width ratio is 22.36 cm js to 8.13 cm.
• It flowers at the age of 16.80 months in the stage of first fruiting.

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• Pod shape is Cundeamor. Pod length is 20.07 cm and width of

8.65 cm.
• Pod is yellow when old from its original color of green when still
young with wall thickness of 1.02 cm.
• Pod index is 21.69 pods/kg with 46 beans/pod.
• Bean is violet in color.
• Canopy diameter is 278 cm.
• Moderately resistant to insect pests and diseases .

CC-99-01 (ICS 40)

• Leaf shape is elliptical with wavy leaf margin.
• Leaf length and width ratio is 29.95 cm is to 10.01 cm.
• Starts to flower at the age of 17.63 months and fruiting follows at
19.63 months.
• Pod shape is Cundeamor described as a variety with elongated
cylindrical fruit with ridges, a rugose surface, pronounced
bottleneck and sharp point.
• Pod length and width ratio is 16.02 cm is to 9.45 cm.
• Pod color is green when young and turns yellow when mature
with wall thickness of 1.35 cm.
• Pod index is 16.2 pods/kg with 44 beans per pod. Canopy
diameter is 195 cm.
• Bean is striped.
• Moderately resistant to insect pests and diseases.

Computation for Number of Seedlings Propagated over time

1. Distance of planting is 3 x 3m planted in quincux method.

2. Approximately a 144 sq. m area (one block) can be planted to 41
plants. Distance between blocks is 2 meters.
3. A hectare of land can accommodate 49 blocks multiplied by 41 plants
per block equals 2,009 plants per hectare (round off to 2,000 plants
per hectare).
4. Six months after planting, each plant can produce approximately
three fan branches with five buds/scions per branch to be used for
community nodal grafting method. 3 fan branch x 5 buds/scions per
branch x 2000 plants/hectare equals 30,000 available scions/hectare
in six months.
5. After one year, 7 fan branches will develop containing 7-8 buds/scions
per branch or approximately 50 buds/scions per plant multiplied to
2,000 plants per hectare equals 100,000 available scions per hectare.

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CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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Two years after 20-30 fan branches (average 25) will be developed per
plant containing 7-8 buds/scions per branch multiplied to 2000 plants
per hectare equals 350,000 scions available per hectare per year up
to 10 or 15 years.

Layout of the
Budwood Garden or
Scion Grove

MAINTENANCE OF BUDWOOD GARDEN OR SCION GROVE

The Budwood Garden/Scion Grove can be utilized for longer

period of time (10-15 years) when it is properly maintained. Periodic
pruning is needed to remove unwanted branches especially those
that are weak and small which are not good materials for propagation.
Removal of fruits that develop from the main stem and branches is
also necessary for proper growth and development of the plant.

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 establishMent
and
ManageMent
of cacao
nursery

Objective:
To be able to understand the importance of selecting
the best location for a nursery and how to take care of
the seedlings in the nursery.
CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

INTRODUCTION
High quality cacao beans come from properly nurtured cacao trees.
Proper care starts with selecting the right site for seedling nursery, its
management to ensure healthy seedlings.

CRITERIA FOR SITE SELECTION

a. The area must be situated near a source of good water.
b. Must be near the source of fertile and good structured top soils to
be used as growing medium.
c. The site must have good drainage system, preferably, the location
is level or at most, gently sloping terrain.
d. The site must be near the source of budwood materials needed for
vegetative propagation.
e. Must be accessible and strategically
located within the target cacao growing
It is essential that the areas.
available wate√ supply
does not contain high
salt concent√ation. SITE ESTABLISHMENT
A nursery site is established
mainly to raise and propagate healthy
planting materials. A cocoa nursery will
require shade, water and protection from wind, and whenever necessary,
protection from rodents.
Shade requirement for the seedlings in the nursery site varies
according to the growth stages of seedlings. Small plant needs more
shade of 70-80% in the first of the early 2 months. As the plant grows,
gradual removal of shade is recommended. When the seedlings are
ready for field planting, the shade should be of the same degree as the
shade in the farm where it would be transplanted.
Most nurseries are used for only a few years, so simple structure of
posts and cross-pieces will suffice as a framework for shade and lateral
protection.
Coconut fronds are recommended as the shade material because
these are usually available and have advantage of allowing the shade to
be adjusted easily.

Shade p√otects the soft

tissues of seedlings
MATERIALS:
against intense sunlight, • bamboo or ipil-ipil posts and lintels
st√ong winds and heavy • coconut fronds or plastic
√ains. • nails or rope

Procedures in construction of
shade
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a. Lay out the area and put stakes on the points where posts
would be erected.
b. Dig a hole at least 60 cm deep and firmly install the posts.
c. Install bamboo or ipil-ipil for lintels about 2 meters high
d. Place coconut fronds over the lintels and arrange them in
such a way that partial shading is attained.

PREPARING THE GROWING MEDIUM

Fertile and good structured top soils are recommended. Loamy to
sandy loam soils are the most suitable as they provide the best medium
in terms of physical property for raising seedlings.
• Where these types of soil are not available or in limited quantity,
an ordinary top soil may be used and mixed with sand up to 40%
depending on the heaviness of the soil type. If top soils are heavy,
mix these with coarse sand to improve seed germination and growth.
• Use 6” X 10” black polyethylene bags. The bags should be properly
perforated to avoid accumulation of excess water.
• Remove hard debris, stones, roots and wastes. The soil is filled up to
2 to 3 cm from the top of the polybag. Arrange the bags in blocks with
paths in between to facilitate sowing of germinated seeds and other
maintenance activities.

CARE OF SEEDLINGS IN THE NURSERY

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1. Arrangement and Spacing

The period of keeping the seedlings in the nursery affects the arrangement
of the bags. Polybag arrangement must be systematically carried out to
facilitate maintenance and grafting. Normally, a twin row with alternate
path of 45 cm in width is recommended. In order to enhance the seedling
growth and to avoid the seedling etiolation, the seedlings are usually spaced
further apart from each other when the seedlings are 2 to 3 months old. The
distance is 25 to 30 cm apart starting from the middle point of the polybag.
The distance gradually increases when the seedlings are kept in the nursery
for a longer period.

2. Weeding and Nutrition

Weeds do not normally cause problems in the nursery and those that
appear can be removed without much expenditure on labor. On the other
hand, weeds growing along spaces in between the blocks may be controlled
by cutting down with scythes. The use of herbicide is not recommended.
Therefore weeding could be done manually or by mulching with available
materials such as rice hull.
The application of fertilizer in the nursery has been found to be of no
benefit where fertile topsoil is used. Where the topsoil is less fertile and
acidic, addition of limestone at 15g per bag has been found to give significant
response (Wood and Lass, 1987).

3. Culling/Selection
To ensure uniform growth and development of the seedlings to be
planted in the field, cull out the poor-growing seedlings in the nursery. This
practice may be carried out by removing the bags containing seeds which
did not germinate and small, crinkled seedlings.

4. Transplanting
To reduce the seedling shock during transplanting, it is necessary to
rotate the polybag to a few degrees one week before field planting. It is done
for the seedlings whose leaves have hardened and especially for those
which roots have penetrated the ground. Watering has to be done for a few
days later. Field planting must start at the onset of the rainy season. Unless
irrigation is available, field planting during the dry season is not advisable.

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 propagation
PROPAGATION
OF
of PLANTING
planting
MATERIALS
Materials

Objective:
To enable farmers to produce
produce quality
quality planting
planting
materials by learning the
the different
different propagation
propagation
methods for cacao.
CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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INTRODUCTION

Nursery management involves the production of a large number of high

quality planting materials, either by seeds or by vegetative parts, of recommended
clones of cultivars with uniform and vigorous growth and free from pests.

PROPAGATION BY SEEDS

Seed Selection

a. Collect seeds only from ripe and healthy pods and preferably collected from
the seed garden.
b. Select seeds that are uniform in size. Discard seeds that are swollen and of
different shape.
c. Select big seeds since the possibility is high that they would produce vigorous
and fast growing seedlings.

SEED GERMINATION

The usual practice is to plant the

prepared seeds directly into the prepared
polybags in the nursery. However, use of Selection of good seed
germination beds has been advocated in
order to obtain more uniform seedlings as stock is crucial
and to avoid any waste of nursery bags
if the seed fail to germinate. There may
to ensu√e healthy
be some advantages in following this seedlings.
practice, but when germination reaches
95% within seven days, the gain would be
marginal and costs would be higher.

PROCEDURES IN SEED GERMINATION

a. Remove the mucilage that

covers the seeds by rubbing
the seeds with sawdust or sand
to loosen the mucilage.

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 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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b. Wash the seeds to effectively

remove the mucilage.

c. Drain the water.

d. Keep it in a moist and well

ventilated place to
pre-germinate.

The mucilage has to be removed

since it favors the growth of fungi
and other microorganisms that would
hinder the germination of the seeds.
Cacao seeds do not have dormancy.
Germination takes place as soon
as the seeds are removed from the
pods, but some seeds germinate
inside the pods if the pods are not
harvested soon after maturity. Pods
can be stored about 5-7 days without
significant loss in germination.

SOWING THE PRE-GERMINATED SEEDS

a. Collect those seeds that show sign of
germination two days after.
b. Sow the pre-germinated seeds not
more than 1 cm deep in the prepared
polybags. It is important to plant the
germinated seeds as soon as the
germs are 1 cm long. If planting is
delayed, the root or shoot may easily
be damaged.
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VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION
Vegetative propagation was found to give more advantages in terms
of reproduction of true to type trees, more uniform growth, early to bear
flowers, and the clone perpetuates most if not all important characters
of the original seedling mother tree like pod value, bean size, fruit wall
thickness and others. A major consideration in vegetative propagation is
the use of at least five clones to minimize bad effect of self-incompatibility
and risk in pest development with a single clone.
Vegetative propagation involves the choice of method of propagation:
patch budding, community nodal grafting, conventional grafting and side
grafting method.

1. Patch budding
• Seedlings are ready for patch budding when these have attained
pencil size or have attained a girth of 6 to 7 mm. Bud only seedlings
that are in flush. The bark should snap-off easily.
• Before budding, tag each row indicating the clone to be budded.
Use five clones per block to minimize pollen scarcity and clonal
incompatibility.
• Cut across polypropylene or polyethylene bags into strips as wrapping
materials. A bag measuring 12 x 16 inches usually generates 12 to 14
pieces of tapes.
• Select green or greenish brown budwood that is actively growing to
ensure the separation of the bark. Budwood with a week-old flush is
most suitable for this purpose. Select branches which are disease-
free, then, cut the leaves 2 to 3 mm to protect the bud-eye from
damage during wrapping.

• Prepare patch window, 2 to 3 cm long. Do not open the patch window

as it may dry up and be contaminated with fungal diseases. Prepare
the bud-eye at least 1 mm smaller than the patch window.
14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

Insert the bud-eye to the patch window as

quickly as possible to minimize drying and
disease contamination.

Then wrap the bud-eye with budding tape

thoroughly and gently. See to it that cuts
below and above the bud-eye are sealed
to minimize drying and water entry. In
budding, it is important that fingernails
of the propagator are clean to minimize
contamination. Likewise, the knife used
for budding should be sharp and clean.

At 15 days after budding, open and check

the bud-eye to determine if the union is
successful. If the bud-eye is green or
brownish, then the union is successful,
otherwise it is black. If budding is
successful then nick or chip the seedlings
2 to 3 cm from the bud-eye. This hastens
the emergence of the bud.

• Cut the rootstocks above the point of budding when all the flushes
have hardened.
• Cutting would induce growth of chupons which may compete with the
growing bud-eye. These should be removed as they emerge.
• Likewise, the developing stem from the budeye usually develops side
shoots. Remove the shoots which emerge below or at 90 cm from the
ground level to form a clean stem for the budded trees.

2. Community Nodal Grafting

Tools and Materials:
• Seedstocks with three pairs of leaves.
• 48 x 60 inches transparent polyethylene bags.
• Scions from at least 5 recommended clones.
• Sharp budding / grafting knife.
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CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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• Gather the seedstocks/

seedlings that produced three
pairs of leaves.
Get scions of recommended
cacao varieties from
accredited budwood gardens.

• Make a cut at the

middle of the stem
2 cm above the node of
the stock (seedling)
leaving 1 pair of leaves.

• Make a wedge cut on the tip of the scion and insert it on the stock.
Be sure that the cambium of the scion and stock has good contact.
• Tighten the connection of scion and stock using 0.003 polyethylene
strips or paper clip or any material that will hold the scion and stock
while callus formation shall be obtained.

• Put together the grafted

seedlings in a 60 x 48
polyethylene bag.
• Place a stick on the middle of the
polyethylene bag and tie with a
plastic twine up to the beam of
the nursery.
• At the time the scion had
produced new shoots, gradually
open the polyethylene sheet.

16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

Arrange the seedlings in the

nursery.
Follow the recommended
practices on the care of seedlings
in the nursery until they are ready
for planting.

3. Single Nodal Side-grafting

Cut the stem of the rootstock in between the nodes in slanting position.
The budstick (cut to ½ of its size) will be cut into parts at
one bud-eye each budstick.
The base of the scion will be provided with a wedge shape cut and
inserted into the cut portion of the rootstock.
Pressing will be done to ensure the overlapping of cambium layer of
both the rootstock and scion.
The rootstock and scion will be tied firmly to promote union.

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CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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• The newly grafted plants will be kept in plastic tunnel or tubes (0%
light penetration) or propagation tunnel with 100% shading for 15
days.
• Starting from the 16th day after grafting, the tunnels or the propagation
box/bin shall be gradually open for 10 days before the grafted seedling
will be exposed to 50% shade in the established nursery.
• The recommended shade regimen presented earlier should be
followed.
• Water plants thoroughly, just before grafting and placing into tents.
• Install a second layer of shade over the tents in addition to the nursery
shade.
• After being in the tents for 21 days allow plants to rest, after the tent
is opened, before they are moved. Keep the plants rested for 10 to 15
days. This allows the plant to adjust to the environment outside of the
tent, without stressing the newly grafted scion.

4. Conventional Cleft Grafting

• Select healthy seedstocks/ rootstocks

• Gather fresh, healthy budsticks (5 to

7cm long) from the budwood garden.

• Wrap the budstick with thin

plastic.

18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

• Cut the stem of the rootstock

leaving only at least 2 pairs of
leaves.

• Make a vertical cut 2-3 cm long

downward using a sharp knife.

• Make a wedge shaped cut at

the base of the budstick, and
insert it into the cut portion of
the rootstock.

• The rootstock and scion will be

tied firmly using plastic strips
(1/2 cm width) to promote union.

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CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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• The newly grafted seedling will

be placed in 60% shade for 21
days.
• Open the plastic strips 21 days
later and unwind ½ of it to give
way to the growing shoot.

The success factors for all types of grafting and budding are:

1. Use of healthy budwood/scion with active bud eyes.

2. If the budwood or scion will be sourced from gardens far from
the propagation site, the budwood/scions should be packed and
transported under moist and cool condition.
3. Use budwood within 2 days from collection.
4. Do not collect budwood from trees that are recovering from heavy
cropping.
5. Make sure budwood is of right age and fits the size of the girth of the
rootstock.
6. Use sharp grafting knife.
7. Clean tools before and after grafting and budding, to minimize disease
transfer.
8. Do not place tools onto the ground.
9. Avoid grafting in very hot and very dry periods, and also in very wet
periods.
10. Make sure rootstocks are at the right age and condition for grafting
or budding.
11. Follow the shade and watering requirement.
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 field
planting

Objective:

To learn the important considerations in establishing

a cacao farm and know the steps in planting cacao
in the field.
CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

INTRODUCTION
Field planting for cacao may be carried out in several approaches: as an
intercrop to existing coconut farm; or, planting in open areas or logged-over
forest areas. It should be remembered however, that the soil for cacao should
be deep and well-drained, but of sufficient water-holding capacity. The pH can
lie between 4.0 and 7.5 if there is a rich supply of organic matter either through
application of mulch or soil amendments. Very acidic soil is usually deficient in
phosphorus and aluminum.

POINTS AND PROCEDURES

• Select seedlings which have six pairs of leaves and which are hardened or
have no new flush of leaves.
• Mark the planting points.
• Dig holes big enough to accommodate the ball of the soil holding the
seedling. Normally, a hole of 30 cm wide by 30 cm long by 30 cm deep, is
enough.
• During holing, separate the surface soil from the subsoil. The surface soil
will be used later to cover the base of the ball of soil holding the seedling.
• Before planting the seedling, cut open the polybag containing the seedling.

Dig a hole for cocoa a month before planting

• Remove the polybag then plant the seedling into the hole.
• Put back the soil from the dug hole then press the soil firmly into the space
between the plant and the sides of the hole.
• Watering is unnecessary, but if planting is done during hot weather, coconut
fronds can be stuck around the
seedlings to give additional
shade.
• Mulching with dried grass or
coconut husks is advocated.
• Light intensity should be
maintained at 50-75%, hence,
temporary shade using coconut
fronds should be placed
whenever light intensity exceeds.
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 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

Removal of shade should be done gradually in a period of one year

after field planting to avoid scorching the foliage of cacao.

AS AN INTERCROP TO EXISTING COCONUTS

Points to remember in selecting coconut plantations:

• The coconut farm should have good drainage and free from salt water
incursions;
• Should be free from crab infestations as crabs are likely to cause
damage to young roots and bring about non-uniformity and stunting
of the cacao trees. This is in places where the coconut plantations are
close to or level with the sea.
• The coconut trees should not be less than 18 years old in order to
provide sufficient shade for good healthy growth of the cacao and
to ensure that the coconut trees are tall enough to facilitate farm
operations and the minimum interference from hanging leaves.
• Planting within the coconut rows is not advisable because this would
interfere with coconut harvesting.
• When coconut trees are spaced 8 m X 8 m or wider, two (2) rows of
cacao can be planted either at 2.5m X 2.5m or 3m X 3m in square or
triangular methods.

• Under open field conditions, shade plants should be established at

least six months ahead of cacao.

• The best shade plant is Madre-de-cacao (Gliricidia sepium L.). Three-

month old seedling of ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala De Wit) may
also be planted as shade tree. These two species are leguminous
plants and hence they are capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen
(N2) to nitrate nitrogen which can be absorbed by the plant, thereby
................................................................................................................... 23
CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

increasing the nitrogen supply from the soil. They are also tolerant to
frequent pruning operations.
Lakatan and latundan bananas may be planted as temporary shade
especially for cacao under open field conditions. Aside from providing
shade, banana can also serve as source of immediate and additional
income for the farmer.
The planting points are to be marked with stakes using available
materials (rope/wire/cable/vine/banana fiber) to serve as guide for a
straight line planting. Planting distance depends on intended cacao
population, which is influenced by cropping system, variety and shade
condition.
About 1.5 m long branches of madre-de-cacao are planted on the spot
previously staked for shade (5 x 5 m to 7 x 7 m apart).
After establishing the temporary shade plants, field planting of cacao
could be done. The right time to plant is during early morning or late
afternoon when the sun is not too hot.
Usually, temporary shade trees/plants are gradually removed starting
on the 24th month from field planting of cacao.
The spaces in between rows of cacao could still be used for planting
cash crops during the first two years after planting. However, utmost
care should be observed by not touching the secondary roots of
cacao which are just 15 to 20 cm within the surface of the soil and 2
to 3 meters from the cacao trunk.
Some of the cash crops suited for cacao are pineapple, upland rice,
corn, peanut, mungbean and vegetables. These cash crops would
enable the farmers to select the best crop mix primarily in terms of
market.
When the canopy of cacao is already developed, the farmer will have
to narrow down his choice to more shade tolerant crops such as
ginger.

24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 pruning

Objective:
To help the farmers learn to identify the branches
appropriate to be pruned; to help the farmers
implement the correct method or pruning the branches
and understand the reasons for using the method.
CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

INTRODUCTION

Pruning can help achieve three objectives, namely: a) Increase

cacao pod production; b) Reduce pest and disease infestation (especially
Cacao Pod Borer and Black Pod); and, c) Control the shape and height
of the tree, to ensure easy access for harvesting.

Pruning of young trees (less than 3 years) is limited to removal of

weak fan branches, leaving 3 to 4 equally spaced fan branches, a few
months after formation of the jorquette. Chupons, or side shoots, growing
at the base of the stem have to be removed regularly. For the older trees
(more than 4 years) that have never been pruned before, the farmers
must be able to learn how to determine the branches that should be cut
off and perform the pruning using the correct method.

MATERIALS
• Small saw (use pruning saw, if available)
• Pruning scissors
• Pruning shears

Opening the canopy of the cacao tree is done for the following
purposes:

1. To provide openings for sunshine to penetrate which will reduce the

amount of pests that like dark places.
2. More sunshine on the stem will also induce more flowering, which in
turn will produce a larger amount of cacao pods.
3. To reduce the humidity level. This is important for reducing certain
diseases like fungi (Black Pod).
4. To make the trees more healthy and productive.

HOW TO DETERMINE WHICH BRANCHES TO PRUNE

The important aspect of pruning is how to identify or determine which

branches should be pruned. The branches that should be selected for
pruning are:
• Branches that are growing downwards.
• Those that are curving, crossing from one side of the crown to
the other, thus they do not grow outward from where the stem but
zigzagging irregularly.
• Branches that have large rotting parts or that are heavily wounded.

26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

HOW TO CUT LARGE BRANCHES

(more than one centimeter in diameter)

• Use a saw, not a machete.

• Saw close to the stem, to make the cutting vertical to the direction of
the stem.
• Use sharp pruning tools because it is important that the cut is sharp
and clean.

DIRECTIONS TO DETERMINE THE BRANCHES TO BE CUT OFF

Step 1
Pruning cocoa trees can increase
production, make tree maintenance
easier, and reduce pest infestation
and diseases.

Step 2
Maintenance pruning starts
with regularly removing the low
hanging.

Step 3
Second remove regularly the
chupons (shoots) on the stem.

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CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

Step 4
Also remove all shoots and additional
branches that are within 60 cm of
the jorquette. Removal of shoots is
necessary to avoid production of non-
essential branches.

Step 5
Furthermore it is important to
remove regularly all dead, diseased
and badly damaged branches.

Step 6
Top pruning of the highest branches
(up to 4 meters) in order to keep the
tree short for easy regular harvesting
and maintenance.

Step 7
In addition to this it is recommended
to open the center of the tree pruning
in the shape of a champagne glass
in order to reduce humidity and
increase sunshine.

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 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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Step 8
The CPB does not like the sunshine
and increased wind. The additional
sunshine to the stem will increase
flowering as well.

Step 9
The best time for heavy pruning
is after the high production cycle,
approximately one month before
the rainy season. After pruning it is
recommended to apply fertilizer.

Step 10
Pruning has to be done regularly
and correctly, results in more pods
on the tree with less pest infestation
and diseases.

TYPES OF PRUNING

FORMATIVE PRUNING
The shape of a cacao has to be formed and maintained in an inverted
umbrella-shaped structure in order to allow penetration of sunlight and
induce flowering and pod set.

The two major aspects of formative pruning are: the adjustment of the
height of the first jorquette; and, the control of vertical growth. Generally,
pruning of newly planted cacao trees is done after their first jorquette
is formed and when the desired and appropriate height of the tree is
determined primarily based on simplifying the farm operations. Old cacao
trees may involve heavy pruning since the desired shape and form have
to be established and keep the tree in good productive form.
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CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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MAINTENANCE PRUNING
This is done at least once every two months and usually involves
the removal of water sprouts and young branches growing in the wrong
direction. The shape and form of established cacao trees have to be
maintained at the following features:
• The center of the tree is open for good sunlight penetration.
• There are sufficient air spaces for leaves and branches.
• Overlapping branches and sprouts growing below jorquette level are
removed.

PEST AND DISEASE PRUNING

This is primarily the immediate removal of diseased or infested parts
and is done without regard to its effect on the shape and form of the
cacao tree.

PRUNING TECHNIQUE: SEEDLING TREES

1. With seedling trees, the pruning is limited to the removal of weak fan
branches leaving 3-4 equally spaced fan branches few months after
formation of jorquette.
2. Also water sprouts or side shoots which are growing at the base of
chupon are regularly removed.
3. At bearing stage, some secondary lateral branches near the jorquette
are pruned off to allow some light to enter the tree canopy.

PRUNING TECHNIQUE:
VEGETATIVELY PROPAGATED TREES
Cacao trees propagated from using fan branch exhibit different types
of growth. The tree does not develop jorquette and the branches grow
diagonally upward from opposite points along the main trunk. Careful
pruning is hence necessary to produce a canopy which is convenient to
work on.

1. Formative pruning of this asexually propagated trees consists of the

removal of the lowermost branches at regular interval such that the
remaining main branches develop at the convenient heights from the
ground.
2. Pruning should be done preferably during the dry months or after
harvest. A sharp saw should be used to make a clean smooth cut.
The exposed wood should be painted with coal tar or lead paint.
3. New shoots appear near the cut surface after sometime. It is advisable
to remove them by hand immediately to avoid overcrowding of
branches.

30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 rehabilitation
of cacao
trees

Objective:
To be able to learn the appropriate approach in
undertaking cacao tree or cacao farm rehabilitation,
its importance in improving the productivity level of a
cacao tree and the quality of beans it produces.
CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

INTRODUCTION
There are several conditions wherein an existing cacao farm needs to
be rehabilitated to improve yield and/or the quality of beans. One is when
the plantation contains many unproductive trees known as free boarders.
Free boarders are trees which develop few pods in spite of profuse
flowering while others produce limited flowers and pods. The other is
when trees are already old and become less productive, and when the
varieties/clones planted are generally low yielding and or producing poor
quality beans.

Rehabilitation can be carried out by: removal or replacement of the

existing unproductive trees; through side-grafting or through bark-grafting.
Side-grafting involves the utilization of scions from plants known for high
yield and quality beans to be side-grafted to existing unproductive trees
in the plantation.

SIDE GRAFTING
A less productive tree can be renewed to produce more pods by
grafting branches from the selected trees unto the unproductive tree. The
trees to be subjected for rehabilitation are either young trees which have
never produced many pods, or very old trees which no longer produce
as many pods as they used to. The scion or budwood should come from
trees selected for both high productivity and resistant/tolerant to major
pests and diseases.
In order to do this, the farmer must master the techniques of side
grafting. This consists of:

a) ability to prepare the scion or budsticks

b) ability to prepare the tree for grafting
c) putting the graft in place
d) taking care of the new graft until it has grown firmly into the tree
e) maintaining the grafted branches

A tree can have up to three side grafts, but these must be made one
month apart. In other words, the second side graft should be made at
least one month after the first side graft.

MATERIALS NEEDED
• Notebook and pencil
• Sharp pruning knife • Transport for participants to the field
• Sharpened machete • Unproductive cacao trees for train-
• Raffia / plastic twine ing purposes
• Plastic bags
32 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

1) Identify old, less productive but

healthy trees to be subjected to side
grafting
2) Gather budsticks from budwood
garden.

3) Prepare the budsticks to be

used for side grafting

4) Make first horizontal deep

cut on the main trunk.

5) Shave bark downward into

the cut.

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CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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6) Make sure original cut is

through the bark to the white
wood inside.

7) Make two cuts downward

from the horizontal cut.

8) Create “window” by peeling

the bark neatly and cleanly
downward to reveal the
cambium.

9) Insert budstick into “window”.

10) Tie window closed.

34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

11) Make sure graft is tied

securely.

12) Cover side graft with plastic

bag and tie tightly against
the tree with raffia.

13) Remove plastic cover after one

month.

14) Productive side grafted

trees 30 months (2 ½
years) after grafting.

NOTES:

1. If not successful, repeat the process after one month on the same
trees for up to three side grafts per tree.
2. Make sure to wait for one month before removing the plastic bag from
a side graft.

................................................................................................................... 35
 plant
nutrition 

Objective:

To be able to know the nutrient requirements of the

cacao plant, its level of uptake and how to supply the
nutrient that it requires.
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

Cacao requires 16 essential elements to complete its life cycle and

most of them are obtained by the plant from the soil. A deficiency of any
of these elements would result in reduction in growth and production.
Hence, a fertile soil should be selected for planting cacao.
Providing proper amount of shade will reduce the nutrient needs of
cacao due to reduced plant metabolism as a result of decreased light
intensity. Among the essential elements needed by cacao, nitrogen (N),
phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) are
the most deficient in many soils. These elements have the following
functions and are badly needed during the following periods.

ELEMENT FUNCTION MOST NEEDED DURING

the onset of rainy season

N vegetative growth
and three months later

P increases flowering the onset of rainy season

before flowering & fruit

K enhances flower set development and three
months later

CA & Mg legthen life of leaves the onset of rainy season

To hasten the vegetative and reproductive growth of cacao trees,

regularly apply organic fertilizer around the base of the plant particularly
during the wet season. Homemade compost and well-rotted animal
manure and farm wastes are preferred if available. Remember, pod-
bearing cacao trees without shade requires 100 kg N, 20 P and K per
hectare per year.

ELEMENT NPK in Beans NPK in Pod Husk Total NPK

N 10.9 kg 9.1 kg 20.0 kg

P 6.4 kg 2.3 kg 8.7 kg
K 10.9 kg 24.1 kg 35.0 kg
Based on several studies, the following amount of NPK are removed
from cacao trees that produce about 1 ton of dried beans.
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CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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To maintain the productivity of the cacao orchard, the above amount

of nutrients must be supplied to the soil through the natural process or
through application of organic fertilizers and soil amendments.
To determine the nutrient status of the soil in a cacao farm soil
sampling must be done.

Recommendations for taking soil samples from cacao orchard:

a. Brush aside leaf litter without disturbing the top soil
b. Take soil samples to a depth of 20 cm and 0.6 meter away
from the base of 30 different trees.
c. 30 sub-samples from one field is needed to make one
composite sample
d. Put soil samples in clean bucket, mix the composite on a
clean canvass or plastic sheet
e. Pulverize by hand, then sieve with 4-5 mm meshwire.
f. About 1 kg of soil sample is needed. Put it in clean plastic
bag.
g. Air dry and bring 0.5 kg of the dried sample to the soil
laboratory with necessary labels.
h. Collect soil samples when the soil is moist and not very dry
or very wet
i. Interval of sampling is four years.

Mature cacao trees can thrive in full sunlight after removing the
temporary shade, as long as the cacao leaf canopy had already closed-
in. Under full-sunlight, cacao would require higher level of nutrients. Pod
yield is expected to increase after the removal of shade due to increased
light intensity resulting in faster rate of plant’s metabolism.

38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

AVERAGE NUTRIENT APPLICATION

BASELINE GUIDE FOR CACAO AT DIFFERENT AGES

Plant age (N) (P) (K) (Ca) (Mg)

g/plant g/plant g/plant g/plant g/plant
4-6 months 10 10 5 250 g per plant of
agriculturallimeinsidehole
for H<6, and 100g rock
phosphate, outside hole

9 months 20 15 10
12 months 30 10 30 60 g/plant limestone or
dolomite
15 months 40 5 40 30 12
Tree flowering and cropping starts
21 months 40 5 45 35 13
25-36 months 160 15 170 30 30
Main flushing 80g (50%) 3g (25%) 34g (20%)
Main flowering
and pod setting 32g (20%) 4g (25%) 51g (20%)
Main Bean filling 16g (60%) 4g (25%) 68g (40%)
Main Pod
32g (20%) 4g (25%) 17g (10%)
harvesting
37-48 months 170 20 200 40 30
Main flushing 85g (50%) 5g (25%) 34g (20%)
Main flowering
34g (20%) 5g (25%) 51g (20%)
and pod setting
Main Bean filling 17g (10%) 5g (25%) 68g (40%)
Main Pod
34g (20%) 5g (25%) 17g (10%)
harvesting

................................................................................................................... 39
 Making
coMpost
using
pod husks

Objective:

To learn how to make use of cacao pod husks as

base material in composting and using it to replenish
the soil nutrients of the cacao field.
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

To prepare 2000 kgs of compost:

MATERIALS

• 1000 kgs of cacao pods (roughly 20 bags of shredded fresh cacao

pods)
• 20 bags of dry chicken manure (dry goat, cow or pig manure can
be used also)
• 1 bag carbonized rice hull or charcoal dust
• 1 liter of EM1 concentrate or 1 kg of Trichoderma inoculum or
BOKASHI
• 100 liters of water

Preparation:

First, shred the cacao pods using the shredder-chipper. Any materials
like leaves can also be included in the compost heap. Make sure to
separate the cacao plastic bags from the pods prior to shredding.
Gather the materials in an area protected from the sun and rain, near
a water source. Where available, a cemented floor is preferable but a
hard ground surface can also be used. Some farmers do the mixing and

composting in the open or directly under the cacao trees inside a box with
50-70cm high wood sidings. A trench on a dry ground which is 1 meter
wide and 20-30 cm deep can also substitute the wooden box.

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CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

1. Mix the EM1 concentrate with the 100 liters of water in a suitable
container and stir well to come up with EM solution. (Trichoderma can
be used as it is since it is already in powdered form)

Note: Bokashi can be spread at the bottom layer of the compost pile and
at the top layer or mix with the materials as these are mixed together.
EM bokashi can be made at a mixture of 1:1:100 EM concentrate,
molasses (or brown sugar) and warm water and the mixture is stored
in an air-tight container for 2-14 days (depending on temperature)
and mix with rice bran until it
is 30% moist (to form a clump
which sticks together if you
squeeze some in your hand,
but should be dry enough to
crumble again when touched
lightly) to form bokashi.

2. The pods and manure are

mixed together with a shovel;
from time to time, a small
amount of carbonized rice
hull or charcoal dust is mixed with pods and manure together while
controlled amount of EM solution (or Trichoderma or handful of
Bokashi) is sprayed while mixing.

3. Once mixed, the pile should be

extended to about 50cm high.

4. After mixing, the pile is covered

with plastic tarp or suitable
materials like fertilizer bags.
This will control temperature
and volatilization of ammonia
from the decomposing pile.

42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

During the first three days the fermentation is intense and temperature
can reach above 80°qC, which should not be permitted. Try and keep
temperatures below 50° C by turning the heap twice a day, morning and
evening. This will also further evenly distribute the microorganisms in the
pile.

As it heats up over the first three days it is a good idea to extend

the heap more to a height of around 20 ems. After about 4 days, one
turning per day is sufficient. Between 12 and 15 days (depending on
climate and specific ingredients) the compost should be ready. It will be
at ambient temperature and will be gray to dark in color. Any ammonia
smell and high temperature should have gone by this time to indicate that
the compost is already mature and ready to use.

The compost material maybe further stored in a shaded heap as

decomposition will continue until the material is dry and with a consistency
like sandy soil or it can be kept until it is time to apply. It may be sundried
for future use (after which can be placed in fertilizer bags for safe storage)
or applied right away to cacao trees.

Application to the cacao trees is at 5-7 kg per tree, applied at a canal

around the cacao tree from 1 to 1.5m in diameter, and covered with soil.
The compost can be applied for at least twice a year, after the main
fruiting season, to replenish the soil nutrients.

................................................................................................................... 43
 standard
quality
specification

Objective:

To know the quality requirements and system of

grading or classifying cacao beans that complies with
the Standard Specification.

70 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

INTRODUCTION
A farmer’s major concern is to keep the viability of the source of
the family’s source of livelihood _ the farm. To do so, one of the most
important things a farmer has to do is to keep the level of pests and
diseases below economic threshold level. The following could provide
the cacao farmer with a guide on identifying and managing the pests and
diseases that may occur in a cocoa farm.

METHODS
Most common cacao pests in the Philippines are: Cacao Pod Borer,
Helopeltis and Cacao Stem Borer. Whereas the most common cacao
diseases are Black Pod & Vascular Streak Dieback.

CPB Control Method (Cacao Pod Borer, caused by Conopomorpha

cramerella)

Good cultural practices to control Cacao Pod Borer are:

• Regular harvesting (weekly harvesting

of all ripe pods) in order to break the
lifecycle of the pest.
• Sanitation; which includes to bury all
empty cacao pod husks, but also to
remove all other diseased pods, black
pods, and pods eaten by animals from
the trees.
• Pruning; to increase the sunlight, which
the pest does not favor.
• Bagging or sleeving of the young pods
with newspaper and staplers (or plastic
bag).
• Fertilizer, to increase the general health
of the tree and in addition increasing
cacao production.

VSD Control Method (Vascular Streak Dieback, caused by Oncobasidum

theobromae)

It is a systematic plant infection which starts to occur on the young

leaves unto the vascular tissues of the stem. Leaves of shoots of
seedlings dry up. In mature trees, leaf of the second and third flush
behind the branch tip turn yellow, distinctive round green spots appear.
Advance stage of the diseases is characterized by dieback and death of
infected leaves and branches and in the case of seedlings, death of the
plant itself. Affected branch still has the youngest and the oldest leaves
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

but no middle leaves. Axillary buds sprout but have marginal interveinal
necrosis. White crust appears on the scar of fallen leaves during wet
season. When infected branches are split longitudinally, brown streaks of
wood tissues appear inside the branch.

Control measures:
• Sanitation pruning _ cut off infected branches at 30 cm below the
infested area, and burn the infested cuttings.
• Nurseries should use polyethylene roofing to ensure spores
cannot land on the seedlings.
• Shade on the cacao trees should be reduced to lower humidity.
• Plant VSD tolerant varieties

Symptoms on seedling leaves: Leaf yellowing

with green islands (right); interveinal necrosis
on younger leaves (left); sporophore on
scars of fallen leaf (right: white growth on
stem above lowest petiole).

Black Pod Rot and Canker Control Method

(caused by Phytophtora palmivora)

Good cultural practices to avoid black pod (caused by Phytophtora

palmivora) are:

• Frequent harvesting to avoid pathogen

spirulation.
• Harvest all the infested, dead and
mummified pods and ideally destroy or
bury them.
• Prune the cacao trees and shade trees
to reduce humidity.
• Have a good drainage system so that
the spores cannot spread in puddles of
water.
• Trees that have died due to tree canker
should be cut down and destroyed.
• Scraping off the bark from the infected
area and put paint or soap on it.
46 ...................................................................................................................
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

Helopeltis Control Method (Helopeltis, a sap-sucking bug)

Typically, Helopeltis likes open canopies and sunlight penetration. Still,
one should prune the trees carefully and reduce shade if it is too heavy _ this
is to allow better visibility on the disease and better application of control
methods. (Note: if pruning is too rigorous, new chupons will grow which
are a feeding ground for Helopeltis).

• General sanitation of the farm

• Regular harvesting

Stem Borer Method (Zeuzera)

• Cut off infested branches at 40 cm below the lowest larvae hole.
These branches should be destroyed.
• After pruning of an infested tree, big
branches, especially those with stem
borer holes, should be burned.
• The hole can be covered or plugged
with mud or wood to prevent the larva
to come out, so that it cannot feed and
hatch, or cannot breathe.
• Poking the larvae out with a piece of
wire.
• Squirt some soap solution in the exit
hole. After a while, the larva will emerge
from the hole, probably driven out by
the unpleasant soap fume. Catch and
kill the stem borer.

SUMMARY ON THE RECOMMENDED MECHANISMS IN MANAGING

COMMON CACAO PEST AND DISEASES
a) PRUNING
Increases production, makes tree
maintenance easier
and reduces losses
due to pest and
diseases, allowing
farmers to maximize
their return.

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CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

b) COMPLETE AND FREQUENT HARVESTING

Complete and frequent harvesting through the year to break the life
cycle at the larva stage and reduce
Cacao Pod Borer (CPB).

c) SANI TATION
Bury pest
infected pods
thereby killing
the larva still
in the pod to
prevent damage
to healthy pods
in the farm.

d) MAINTAIN TREE NOURISHMENT

Make trees stronger and able to produce larger pods, and encourages
flowering, allowing the tree to
produce more pods.

48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 harvesting
and post
harvest
operations

Objective:

To know the proper preparation of cacao beans with

the purpose of meeting the required standard of
quality.
CACAOI
CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL
TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

Production of quality cacao beans involves proper processing of wet

beans with special reference to the standard of quality required by the
market. Preparing cacao for the market involves proper pod breaking;
fermentation; and, drying.

PODS HARVESTING
From
From ·· pollination, cacao pods
are formed, grow to maturity, and
ripen in 160 to 180 days. Physical
indicator of ripened pods is the
change in color, green turns yellow,
or dark-red purple to yellow or
orange.
Processing begins with
harvesting of healthy ripe pods. A
machete or cutlass is normally used
to remove the pods from the tree. Care should be taken that the pod is
not damaged during removal from the tree. More importantly, the flower
cushions should not be damaged so that they would be able to produce
flowers and pods for several years. In addition, damage can lead to
fungal infection of the tree. Harvest pods of 75% ripeness regularly to
avoid pods to over ripen as beans may germinate.

POD BREAKING AND

AND REMOVAL OF SEEDS
Open the pods after storing using wooden baton or devised pod
splitter to avoid injury or cutting the seeds. Damaged seeds may allow
molds and insects,
insects, and broken beans are also discarded during sorting
and grading.

The seeds or “wet beans” attached

"wet beans"
to the placenta are taken out and
collected in the fermentation box or
basket.

llil·
50 . ..................................................................................................................
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 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

THE FERMENTATION PROCESS

There is no chocolate flavor in cacao beans without proper
fermentation. During fermentation, compounds (precursors for chocolate
flavor) are formed that will react with each other during the roasting to
form chocolate flavor. It is a process that occurs in two steps and two
locations: Fermentation of sugars in pulp surrounding cacao beans.
Sugars transformed into alcohol and then to acetic acid (similar to the
grape fermentation to produce wine and then vinegar); and acidic acid,
produced externally, penetrate through the husk and cause biochemical
reactions in the bean that are responsible for the formation of chocolate
flavor precursors.
There are factors influencing the fermentation, and these include:
ripeness of the pods; quantity of beans; type of cacao; and duration of
fermentation.
Cacao beans should undergo five (5) days fermentation, with first
turn done after 48 hours, and the second turn after another 48 hours, will
normally result in lower acidity. Fermentation progress is assessed by the
odor, and the external and internal color of the beans.
The manner of fermenting cacao varies among producing countries,
and in many instances, among farms or farmer groups. In commercial
scale operations, permanent fermentation structures are established,
while most smallholders with relatively small volumes of produce
undertake cacao beans fermentation in baskets, fruit boxes or heaps.

a) Fermentation in Boxes
Fermentation boxes of 85cm X 85cm and 45cm deep can
accommodate approximately 300kg of wet beans. But as a rule all boxes
with dimensions between 75cm X 75cm X 45cm deep or 1.0m X 1.0m X
45 cm deep should give reasonable fermentation for 200 kg to 400kg of
wet cocoa.

For smaller quantities

during the low crop season
it would be the best to
have box with removable
dividers, maybe quartered
by removable boards to be
able to get good box for 50
kg if quartered the 75cm X
75cm box and to get 100kg if
the same box is just divided
by two.

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CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

For farmers’ cooperatives or associations who will operate central

fermentation facility, boxes measuring 150cm X 150cm X 50cm will give
place for some 1,100kg (1.10mt) of wet cocoa beans. Another option is
a set of boxes having dimensions of 150cm X 120cm X 50cm, for 900 kg
wet beans. The boxes are arranged in tiers for easier mixing and transfer
of beans.

It is best to build the fermentation boxes with slated flooring with gaps
of 3mm to 5mm, and should be raised from the ground. It is very important
to regularly clean the gaps to avoid clogging, and thus facilitate drainage
of sweating/fermentation drippings.
It is advisable to maintain fermenting cocoa just 40cm deep, and
covered i.e., with jute sacks during the fermentation period, therefore the
standard 45cm of depth of boxes ensures better quality, flavor and lower
acidity.

b) Fermentation in Heaps

In small volume operation, fermentation can be done in heaps. Wet

beans are placed on banana leaves or bamboo mats provided with
adequate perforations. Each batch should be raised from the ground by
underlying wood or any material as base arranged with adequate spaces
to allow drainage and aeration. The heap is covered with the same
material or perforated sacks that are held in place.

52 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

The heap should be adequately covered to prevent rainwater, if any,

from entering the mass and avoid contamination or formation of molds.

c) Basket Fermentation

The basket is lined with banana leaves or perforated plastic sacks

to provide drainage. The basket should be raised slightly off the ground.
Wet beans of 50 kilos or more in a batch completely ferment in 5-6 days
with mixing or turning after 48 hours from loading the wet beans.
The basket containing
cacao seeds should be
kept under roof to prevent
rainwater from entering
the mass of seeds. It is
important to cover the
baskets or boxes with jute
bags to avoid losses of
heat which is crucial for
good fermentation. When
the fermentation period is
completed, the beans are
ready for drying.

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CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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Indicator of Under Adequately Over-

fermentation fermented fermented fermented
progress beans beans beans
Temperature of Less than Either over or
45-48°C
bean mix 45°C less than 48°C
Pinkish-
Bean color Reddish Black-brown,
white,
(outside) brown, sticky sticky
moist
Cut beans Beans/nibs The nib is pale Deep dark
color (inside) with reddish- brown in the brown or black
purple center and brown
pigments around they
are more pale
reddish/purple
with a ring of
dark brown
under the
external skin.

Full brown color

is developed
during the
drying process

Bean smell/
Sweet Sour “Rotting”
odor
Number of <5 5-6 days >6
days in the box
or basket
54 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

CACAO BEANS DRYING PROCESS

Drying of fermented cocoa beans is the process of reduction of

moisture from 45% to 7%. It is actually an extended part of fermentation.
As long as there is enough moisture, flavor forming reactions in the beans
continue as well as browning reaction that oxidize polyphenols and leads
to reduction of astringent and bitter taste.
In addition, during the drying process, the excessive acidity is
eliminated through evaporation of acetic acid through the outer skin while
it is still moist.

SUN-DRYING

Sun-drying is best for good quality cacao beans. But under Philippine
condition, the most practical approach could be of combined sun-
mechanical drying: starting with sun drying for 1-2 days, and finishing up
with artificial drying. This approach could address the lowering of cost
compared with using artificial dryers alone, while attaining high quality
dried fermented cacao beans. Presented below are several low-cost
approaches for sun-drying cacao beans.

This figure illustrates a 50 kilogram capacity solar dryer:

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CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

Sun drying may also be done on multi-purpose drying pavements

provided that the cacao beans are placed on receptacles made of plastic,
or bamboo mats sheeting on the cement floor. In some areas, trays
made of bamboo, or plastic screen are used. This is important to avoid
contamination with dust and other foreign materials or accumulation of
foreign wastes that would result to low quality, or worst, rejected cacao
beans.

For beans spread on cement floors, the best drying thickness is

6.3cm. Total drying time is 31 hours at full day sunshine or 5-8 days at 4-6
hours sunshine each day. If receptacles are used, the beans spread at
5cm thickness are completely dried in 35 hours under full day sunshine.

56 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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USING ARTIFICIAL DRYER

For cacao beans drying using artificial dryers, the temperature should
not exceed 60°C so that the removal of water from the beans would be
gradual. Rapid drying tends to make the beans retain excessive amounts
of acetic acid that results to ‘acidic’ beans.
Frequent and thorough mixing of the beans in the artificial dryer is
very important to ensure uniformly dried beans. To this effect, the layer
of beans in the dryer should not be more than 25cm to facilitate good
mixing. Improperly mixed beans can result to defects such as: too dried
or brittle beans make lots of wastes as broken beans; while those ‘not-
enough’ dried beans will get moldy, and moldy beans are not acceptable
in the market.
Artificial dryers designed with dimensions of 6.0m X 12.0m could
accommodate approximately 5,000 kgs of fermented beans with cocoa
beans layer of 21 cm. Artificial dryers are used in most commercial
operations to overcome the dependence on weather conditions.
Usually, these are dryers designed with heat energy sources from
burning solid fuel, such as wood, coconut shell, but should have indirect
heating function. A heat exchanger system should be employed with
sufficient smoke tunnel that reaches at least two feet above the roof of
the drying shed. The main purpose is to avoid smoke contamination of
the seeds which would significantly affect the quality of the beans.
The combination of artificial heating and sun drying is largely favored
in terms of cost efficiency and in ascertaining the quality of the beans.

................................................................................................................... 57
 standard
quality
specification

Objective:

To know the quality requirements and system of

grading or classifying cacao beans that complies with
the Standard Specification.
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
RESOURCE MANUAL

The Philippine National Standard for Cacao (PNS/BAFPS No. 58:

2008) was developed and approved by various stakeholders in 2007. The
following sets the minimum quality requirements and system of grading
or classifying cacao beans:

1. Cacao beans shall be taken from ripe pods, adequately fermented

and dried, must be free from odors that are not characteristics of
dried cocoa beans such as smoke.
2. Shall be reasonably uniform in size.
3. Shall be reasonably free from broken beans, fragments and
pieces of shell.
4. Shall be virtually free from foreign matter and insects.
5. The moisture content shall not exceed 7.5%.
6. Cacao beans shall be free from any evidence of adulteration.

The table below presents the standard cacao bean grades. Codes 1
and 2 indicate grade based on defective characteristics. Codes A and B
stand for bean counts. The percentages given in the last column apply to
all the defects mentioned therein, taken together. The percentages are
maximum allowable levels.

Grade Bean Count Mouldy Slaty Defects such as insect

(per 100g) damaged, infested beans,
and germinated beans
1A < = 100 3 3 2.5
1B 101-120 3 3 2.5
2A < = 100 4 8 5.0
2B 101 - 120 4 8 5.0
Sub-
> 120 >4 8 >5.0
Standard

SAMPLING

The grading and classification procedure begins with taking sample

volume for analysis. The sample shall be collected at random from mini-
mum of 30% of the total quantity of bags in a lot or per B/L, using a sam-
pling prop/spear. From each bag, a sample shall be taken from the top,
the center and the bottom part of the bag. These samples shall be mixed
thoroughly several times until a final sample of about 1,500 grams is ob-
tained. The samples are then sealed and labeled in the area where the
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CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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samples have been taken. After the samples have been taken out, the
bags shall be sealed. The sampling official shall be a person with experi-
ence or training and employed by legal body.

PROCEDURES FOR DETERMINING THE BEAN COUNT

Bean count is carried out by the determination of the number of cacao

beans to make a weight of 100 g.

1. Preparation of the sample. The sample is obtained by the method

described in ISO/R 1114 (Cut tests) and shall be thoroughly
mixed.
2. Preparation of the test portion. The mixed samples shall be reduced
by quartering or by means of a suitable dividing apparatus, to
just over 300 beans per quarter. Then count the actual number of
whole beans, after the removal of flat beans.
3. Determination. The whole beans shall then be weighed to the
nearest 0.05 g.
4. Expression of Result. The bean count shall be expressed as the
number of beans per 100g.

NUMBER OF WHOLE BEANS

BEAN COUNT= X 100
WEIGHT OF WHOLE BEANS (g)

PROCEDURES IN DETERMINING DEFECTS THROUGH THE CUT TEST

The cut test is carried out primarily to determine the incidence of

mouldy beans, slaty beans, insect damaged/infested beans and germi-
nated beans.

1) Preparation of the sample. The sample of whole beans used for

the bean count shall be used for the entire cut test.
2) Preparation of the test portion. The sample of the cacao beans
shall be thoroughly mixed, and then quartered, or divided into four (4)
heaps, until reaching a heap of slightly more than 300 beans. The first
300 beans shall be counted off, irrespective of size, shape and condition.
3) Determination
a) All the beans shall be cut lengthwise through the middle,
so as to expose the maximum cut surface of the cotyledons.
b) Both halves of each bean shall be examined visually in full

60 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 CACAO TECHNOLOGY
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daylight or equivalent artificial light.

c) Separate counts shall be made on the number of beans
which are defective in that they are internally mouldy, slaty,
insect-damaged/infested and germinated.
Where a batch of beans is defective in more than one respect, only
defect shall be counted, and the defect to be counted shall be the defect
which occurs first in the following list of defects presented in a decreasing
order or gravity:
a) mouldy beans;
b) germinated beans;
c) slaty beans; and
d) insect damaged/infested beans
4) Expression of result. The results for each kind of defect shall be
expressed as a percentage of the number of beans examined.

PROCEDURES IN DETERMINING THE MOISTURE CONTENT

1) Principle. The determination of moisture content is carried

out by the oven method. However, for quick certification
purposes, the moisture content may be determined by the
infrared moisture meter or its equivalent.

2) Apparatus. Usual laboratory equipment not otherwise

specified, in the following items:
a) Grinder, which permits the beans to be ground without
heating.
b) Ventilated oven, preferably fitted with a fan, capable of
being maintained at 103 ± 20.C.
c) Dishes with lids, of corrosion-resistant metal or glass, with
at least 35cm2 effective surface (for example minimum
diameter 70 mm) and 20 mm to 25 mm deep.
d) Desiccator, containing an effective desiccant.
e) Analytical balance, capable of weighing to 1 mg.

3) Procedure
a) Preparation of sample
i) Take one of the sample quarters obtained by the
method described in taking the sample lot.
ii) By successive reductions of the one quarter draw
approximately 50 g of beans.
iii) Grind the beans roughly so that the greatest dimension
of the particles does not exceed 5 mm, while avoiding
the formation of a paste .
b) Test portion
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i) Weigh the empty dish and its lid when dry, place in
it quickly about 10 grams of ground beans prepared as
described in No. 1
ii) Cover the dish with its lid and weigh to the nearest 1 mg.
c) Determination
Place the dish containing the test portion in the oven
at 103 ± 2 °C, on its lid. Keep it there for 16 ± 1 hour,
taking care not to open the oven.
At the end of this period, remove the dish, cover it immediately
with its lid and place it in the desiccator. After cooling to ambient
temperature (30 min to 40 min approximately after placing in the
desiccator), weigh it, still covered, to within 5 mg.

Note on procedure:
The grinding and weighing operations for each determination
should be carried out as rapidly as possible, and in any event
within 5 min.
d) Calculation of results.
The moisture content of the sample, expresses as percentage
by mass, is equal to
where,
(m1-m2) x 100
m1 ‒ m0
m0 is the mass, in grams, of the empty dish and its lid;
m1 is the mass, in grams, of the dish and its lid and the
test portion before oven drying;
m2 is the mass, in grams, of the dish and its lid and the
test portion after oven drying.

PROCEDURES IN DETERMINING WASTE

1) Preparation of the sample. The sample obtained by the

method described in taking sample lot shall be thoroughly
mixed.

2) Preparation of the test portion. The thoroughly mixed sample

shall be reduced by quartering or by means of a suitable dividing
apparatus to about 1500 g per quarter. Principle.
The determination of moisture content is carried out by the
oven method. However, for quick certification purposes, the
moisture content may be determined by the infra-red moisture
meter or its equivalent.
3) Determining the waste:
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a) Weigh the quartered sample.

b) Separate the waste and weigh it.

4) Expression of result

WEIGHT OF WASTE
WASTE (%) = X 100
TOTAL WEIGHT OF SAMPLE
Cacao beans shall be packed in jute sacks which are clean, sound,
sufficiently strong and properly sewn. The jute sacks shall be made of
non-toxic materials. Other forms of packaging may be used as mutually
agreed upon between participating parties.

The cacao beans may be stored for 6-7 months in a well ventilated
warehouse, on elevated on pallets with a clear space above ground of at
least 7 cm for air circulation. During storage, fumigation may be applied
to control insects, rodents and other animal pests inside the warehouse.
Care must be exercised in the choice, number of applications of fumigant
permitted and in the technique of their application to avoid incurring any
risk of tainting or addition of toxic residues to the cacao. Any such residues
should not exceed the tolerances prescribed by the FAO/WHO Codex
Committee on Pesticide Residues, the FAO/WHO Expert Committee on
Pesticide Residues and by the Government of the importing country.

The produce should comply with any microbiological criteria

established in accordance with the Principles for the Establishment and
Application of Microbiological Criteria for Foods (CAC/GL 21-1997).

When found to conform to the Basic Requirement of Philippine

National Standards for Cacao Beans, the lot, batch or consignment from
which the samples have been drawn, shall be deemed to comply with the
Standard Specification.

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 Marketing

Objective:

To be aware of the factors influencing the quality of

the cocoa beans in the marketing context, and the
efforts that can link farmers to growth markets.
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The vast market opportunity for cacao is hinged on ascertained

quality of the beans, and it is the major element in sustainable cacao
production. In the overall cacao production and marketing context, the
factors influencing the quality of cocoa beans on farmers’ level include
the following:

• Influence of genetics on quality. Quality parameters are

in majority genetically defined, i.e., butterfat content, size of
beans, flavor, percent of shell, among others, and majority of
these parameters are affected by environment and processing.

• Influence of Environment on quality. The amount of rainfall

– during the cocoa pod development and during post harvest
processing, the temperature and humidity in the farm area,
and soil composition are important environment indicators in
quality production.

• Farm management. Tree nutrition, pruning, sanitation, such

as proper removal and disposal of damaged or diseased pods,
are basic factors.

• Influence of Pests/Diseases on cacao quality. In the

Philippines, cacao pod borer (CPS) can very significantly
decrease the quality of cacao beans. Phytophtora pod rot can
also influence the quality, but is not a major problem. Therefore,
good pest/disease management in cacao farms is critical.

• Harvesting. Cacao pods are ready for harvesting in 5 to 6 months

after pod setting. It is important to harvest ripe pods and harvests
should be at least fortnightly to avoid over ripened fruits because
it also affects the quality of the beans.

• Proper post-harvest processing

• Cacao beans fermentation. There is less chocolate flavor
in cacao beans without fermentation. During fermentation,
compounds (precursors for chocolate flavor) are formed that
will react with each other during the roasting to form chocolate
flavor. It is a process that occurs in two steps and two
locations: Fermentation of sugars in pulp surrounding cacao
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beans. Sugars transformed into alcohol and then to acetic

acid (similar to the grape fermentation to produce wine and
then vinegar); and acidic acid, produced externally, penetrate
through the husk and cause biochemical reactions in the
bean that are responsible for the formation of chocolate flavor
precursors. There are factors influencing the fermentation, and
these include: Ripeness of the pods; Quantity of beans; Type
of cacao; and Duration of fermentation. 5 days fermentation
with one turn will normally result in lower acidity.
• Drying of fermented cocoa beans. Reduction of
moisture from 45% to 7.5% is an extended part of fermentation.
As long as there is enough moisture, flavor forming reactions
in the beans continue and this is revealed with the browning
reactions or oxidation of polyphenols with reduction of
astringent and bitter taste. Sun-drying is the best for good
quality cacao beans. But under Philippine condition, the most
practical approach could be of combined sun, mechanical
drying: starting with sun drying for 1-2 days, and finishing
up with mechanical drying. This approach could address the
lowering of cost of mechanical drying, while attaining high
quality dried fermented cacao beans.

In the global cacao market, the incentive of price to producers or

suppliers is a fundamental factor of sustainable supply of high quality
products. High quality product is a result of a combination of good
production and post-harvest practices.
At the farmer’s level, lack of incentives to produce high quality
cacao beans is caused by lack of information about markets, of real
awareness whether the quality of beans the farmers produce is what
the market needs, or is the current quality comes as just acceptable
for the time that supply is scarce, and therefore, the market that they
have for now including the prices paid are temporary. The farmers
usually only know the prices that the intermediaries are paying in the
nearest town.
In addition, there exists ‘market power’ that constrains the
transmission of price incentives to farmers, ,particularly with respect
to incentives to produce high-quality cacao. Intermediaries are able
to exert market power due to the existence of spheres of influence
that grant them exclusive buying rights in specific geographic areas,
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primarily, because farmers are obligated to sell them to pay back credit
that they accepted from them.

Towards this end, the presence of fermentation and drying centers

in strategic sites is critical in giving assurance to farmers that they
would get fair price for quality produce, while the buyers, with the
consistent supply of right quality cacao beans.

The fermentation and drying centers will be registered and

accredited cacao market stations, and would serve as: quality
assurance facilities; supply/market collection points; group access to
farm inputs; and, market-price, supply/demand information centers.
This kind of dynamic post-harvest interventions will equitably link
smallholder farmers to growth markets. Its continued innovation,
development, and application of appropriate post-harvest technologies
would pose as incentive to produce the quality of products demanded
by the market.

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WOOD, G.A.R. & R.A. LASS. 1987. COCOA. 4th Edition,

Longman Scientific and Technical

ESPINO, R.C., RAMOS, J.V. & C.S. ATIENZA. 2001. Techno-Guide for Cacao in
the Philippines. HVCC Techno-guide series no. 2, Department of Agriculture.

COCOA FOUNDATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. 1999. Cacao Pests and Diseases.

Cacao Information Bulletin.

COCOA FOUNDATION OF THE PHILIPPINES. 1999. Preparing Cacao for the

Market. Cacao Information Bulletin.

SUCCESS Alliance-Philippines Phase 1 Project: Cacao Production Technology

Training Manual, 2004

HII, CHING.L., ABDUL RAHMAN,R., JINAP, S. CHE MAN, YB., Qualify of Cacao
beans dried using a direct solar dryer at different loadings. Journal of the Science
of Food and Agriculture, Malaysia. 2006

RICHARDS, N. & THANH, H.2007. Cocoa Nursery Manual: Plant Produchon &
Nursery Operations for Cocoa Productions in South East Asia

ALCALA, E. A. 2003. Approaches to Farm Establishment and Crop Maintenance,

Training Hand-Out, training of Trainers, Puerto Princesa City

†CABANGBANG, R.P 2003. Rehabilitation of Cacao. Training Hand-Out, Training

of Trainers, Puerto Princesa City

CALVO, A. F 2003. Cacao: Crop Maintenance. Training Hand-Out, Training of

Trainers, Puerto Princesa City

CENA, R.L. 2003. Establishment of Source of Planting Materials, Propagation and

Maintenance.

CENA, R.L. 2003. Seed/Budwood Garden Establishment

Philippine National Standard for Cacao, final draft version, DA-BAFS, 2008

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Notes:

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Notes:

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