Cocoa is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of the cacao tree from which chocolate is made. "Cocoa" can often also refer to the drink commonly known as hot chocolate; cocoa powder, the dry powder made by grinding cocoa seeds and removing the cocoa butter from the dark, bitter cocoa solids; or it may refer to the combination of both cocoa powder and cocoa butter together
 
Beans inside the Pod Cocoa beans before roasting
Climate
Cocoa can be grown up to 300 m above mean sea level. It requires a minimum of 90-100 mm rainfall per month with an annual rainfall of 1500-2000 mm. The plants need equitable climate with well distributed rainfall. If dry periods are prolonged, irrigation scheduling is necessary. The temperature range of 15°-39°C with optimum of 25°C is considered ideal.
Soil
Cocoa requires deep and well drained soils. Poorly drained soil affects growth of plants. Majority of area under Cocoa cultivation is on clay loam and sandy loam soil. It grows well in the pH range of 6.5 to 7.0.
Shade requirement
Cocoa was evolved as an under-storey crop in the Amazonian forests. Thus commercial cultivation of cocoa can be taken up in plantations where 50 per cent of light is ideally available. In India, coconut and arecanut gardens are suited best for cultivating Cocoa. Under arecanut 30-50% of sunlight penetrates through their canopy which can be intercepted by cocoa.
Released varieties from CPCRI
Details of recently released varieties of cocoa
NC-45/53
 
Selection from Nigerian clone
Early, heavy bearer, self and cross compatible
Green (immature) to Yellow (ripe) color pods
Pods (no/tree/year) -75
Pod weight (g)- 321, Beans/ pod- 37, Single dry bean weight (g) - 1.05
Average dry bean yield (kg/tree/year) - 1.33
Potential yield (kg/tree/year) - 2.5
Yield kg/ha - 911
Fat content (%) - 52.5
Shelling percentage - 12
Recommended area - areca and coconut gardens of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu
