Ecuador produces other types of fine cocoa beans from Trinitario origin like those obtained from the new CCN51 clone. It's characteristics make it an excellent alternative for the most demanding cocoa products and chocolate fromulas.
The high quality cocoa beans of CCN-51 clone are produced on several plantations belonging to the members of the "Fine Cocoa Aroma Association Growers" (APROCAFA). These plantations, located on Ecuador most fertile soil, combine excellent post-harvest and environmental management which have earned these beans the name of “Ecuador-plantation CCN- 51” .
CCN-51 Cocoa beans Projection.
APROCAFA is currently exporting to the United States and Europe, it's acceptance is due to the fine grade quality of cocoa beans that are being certified by APROCAFA and International Verifiers. This verification gurantees an optimal condition of the product to International markets.
The cocoa CCN51 variety is produced in tropical zone in Ecuador and is known as a high quality clone with great productivity and tolerant to diseases like the “witches broom” ( Crinipellis perniciosa) and the Ceratocytis wilt ( Ceratoystis fimbriata).
An investigation conduced by Homero Castro, an agronomist, who collected several genetic materials from “Trinitarios”, “Forastero Amazonico” origin and based on a double hybridization, a clone was finally obtained in 1965 which met the objective of quality, productivity and proposed resistance.
Homero Castro: Agronomist, Father of the CCN-51 Cocoa
It is a genetically fine grade cocoa; producing an average of 2.5 tons of dry cocoa beans per hectare, making it a profitable product in the cocoa industry.
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The climate and Ecuador 's rich and generous ground has for four centuries permitted the planting of cocoa in an ecological fashion, favoring the environment and the plantation workers.
It must be emphasize that in the production system of the cocoa beans “Ecuador-Plantation CCN-51", APROCAFA conducts on their plantations the tasks of: propagation, transplant, field cleaning, pruning, irrigation, harvesting, fermentation, drying and storage in a prolix fashion to guarantee a final high quality product which consumer will enjoy. Planting new trees, fostering wild life and not using chemical products that are internationally prohibited allows to take especial care of the environment.
Harvest, fermentation and drying phase
The cocoa beans are extracted manually from the pods, deposited into wooden boxes with holes for drainage and once full, they are covered with plantain leaves. Fermentation takes six days. The beans are changed methodically each day from the box so that, while the beans are fermented, the temperature rises to 48ºC , allowing the “embryo” to die and the precursors of “flavour” to develop.
The fermented cocoa beans are sun dried on bamboo or wooden cars during three or four days. When necessary, they are dried with specialized drying equipment. Before storing they should contain 7% moisture and be picked up, placed in special disinfected warehouses and then cleaned prior exportation. |