333 www.iccadubai.ae By the time the tree is four (or) five years old it has dark glossy leaves and ripe fruit in the form of pods growing on both the branches and the trunk. The fruits are about 3-4 inches wide and 6-10 inches long and are elongated oval in shape. Cacao varieties Cacao trees are small, under story trees that need rich, well-drained soils. The three main varieties of cacao beans used in the production of chocolate, namely; 1) Criollo (the rarest and most expensive, native to Central America) 2) Forastero (most commonly grown bean, native to the Amazon Basin) 3) Trinitario (a natural mix of Criollo and Forastero, from Trinidad) The main producers and exporters of the cocoa seeds are West Africa (74% of the world production) North central and South America (24% of the world’s production) Asia (3% of the world’s production)
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