Cocoa cultivation in Sao Tome and Principe.
Abstract
Cocoa was first introduced into Africa in 1822, in Sao Tome and Principe, a Portuguese colony until 1975 and the world's leading producer at the beginning of the 20th century until the collapse of its production. The causes of the slump were historical, political and agricultural. Current production is around 5000 t/year, and exports account for 80% of the country's foreign currency earnings. The early studies on genetic improvement of cocoa, and the effects of techniques implemented between harvesting and export (fermentation, drying, sorting and storage) on cocoa quality are discussed. The government launched a national cocoa plantation rehabilitation programme in 1985 which has received backing from international donors. CIRADCP is in charge of an agricultural research project working to help revitalize cocoa cultivation. Incluye 8 referencias bibliográficas. Cocoa was first introduced into Africa in 1822, in Sao Tome and Principe, a Portuguese colony until 1975 and the world's leading producer at the beginning of the 20th century until the collapse of its production. The causes of the slump were historical, political and agricultural. Current production is around 5000 t/year, and exports account for 80% of the country's foreign currency earnings. The early studies on genetic improvement of cocoa, and the effects of techniques implemented between harvesting and export (fermentation, drying, sorting and storage) on cocoa quality are discussed. The government launched a national cocoa plantation rehabilitation programme in 1985 which has received backing from international donors. CIRADCP is in charge of an agricultural research project working to help revitalize cocoa cultivation.
Cocoa was first introduced into Africa in 1822, in Sao Tome and Principe, a Portuguese colony until 1975 and the world's leading producer at the beginning of the 20th century until the collapse of its production. The causes of the slump were historical, political and agricultural. Current production is around 5000 t/year, and exports account for 80% of the country's foreign currency earnings. The early studies on genetic improvement of cocoa, and the effects of techniques implemented between harvesting and export (fermentation, drying, sorting and storage) on cocoa quality are discussed. The government launched a national cocoa plantation rehabilitation programme in 1985 which has received backing from international donors. CIRADCP is in charge of an agricultural research project working to help revitalize cocoa cultivation.
Palabras clave:
Coco.
crop production
crop quality
drying
exports
fermentation
plant breeding
production
research
sorting
stimulant plants
storage
tropical crops
Crops
Drying
Drying
Exports
Exports
Fermentation
Fermentation
Plant breeding
Plant breeding
Research
Research
Research
Storage
Tropical crops
Coco.
crop production
crop quality
drying
exports
fermentation
plant breeding
production
research
sorting
stimulant plants
storage
tropical crops
Crops
Drying
Drying
Exports
Exports
Fermentation
Fermentation
Plant breeding
Plant breeding
Research
Research
Research
Storage
Tropical crops