Plantation Crops

Harvesting

• Flowering : 2nd year after planting
• Flowering to pod development : 140 to 160 days
• Stage of harvesting : Ripe pods without damaging the flower cushions.

Maturity symptoms
1) Distinctive Colour : In forestero green pods will become yellow when on ripening.
2) Rattling sound of beans : Seeds which are 25 to 45 in number rattle on ripening.
Harvesting intervals : 10 -15 days

Harvesting season
Under South Indian conditions
1) September to January ( Post monsoon)
2) April to June ( Pre monsoon)
Off season crops are seen almost through out the year especially under irrigated conditions.
Note : Care should be taken not to damage flowering cushion at the time of harvesting of cocoa as it will produce the flowers and fruits of subsequent harvests.
 Gap between harvesting and breaking of pods for processing : two days. ( 2-3 days). Break the pods cross wise and remove placenta along with husk and collect beans.
Pods can be kept upto a week before breaking and extracting the beans for fermentation.

Processing of cocoa

Harvesting of cocoa consists of picking and breaking of ripe pods, removing the beans and transporting them for fermentation and drying.

Only ripe pods are harvested ----- Kept for minimum period of 2 days before opening the pods for fermentation (Should not be kept beyond 4 days). ---------Break the pods -----------collect beans for fermentation.
What for fermentation is essential in cocoa ?