Cocoa beans are harvested by manually removing the ripe pods from the cocoa trees and extracting the wet beans within.
Harvesting Process
Here's a breakdown of the cocoa bean harvesting process:
- Pod Growth: Cocoa pods, which contain the beans, grow directly from the trunk and branches of the cocoa tree.
- Manual Harvesting: Ripe pods are harvested by hand. This is done using a well-sharpened blade to make a clean cut through the stalk of the pod.
- Pod Opening: After harvesting, the pods are opened.
- Bean Extraction: The wet cocoa beans are then extracted from the opened pods.
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Growth | Pods develop on the cocoa tree's trunk and branches. |
| Cutting | Harvesters use a sharp blade to cut ripe pods from the tree. |
| Opening | The pods are carefully opened. |
| Extraction | Wet cocoa beans are removed from the opened pods. |
The manual harvesting process ensures the cocoa pods are carefully selected at their peak ripeness.
