Theobroma cacao (cocoa tree) originated in South America but has migrated across the world as far as Western Africa, the Caribbean and Malaysia. There are 5-6 million cocoa farmers worldwide, and 40-50 million people depend on cocoa for their livelihood.
The cocoa tree produces two harvests a year, one larger crop and a secondary crop. Harvest periods depend on the country of growth. Ripe cocoa pods are harvested by cutting the pod from the tree or knocking it off with a stick. The pod is then sliced in half and the beans and the surrounding pulp are scooped out. They are then placed into large wooden crates, usually lined with banana leaves-the sweet pulp aids the fermentation process that develops the flavour of the cocoa. The fermentation takes around 4-6 days.