The harvesting period depends on the climatic conditions where it is grown. There are two harvests a year: a main harvest (the biggest one) and a secondary harvest with lower yields.
When harvested, the cacao pods are about 15 to 30 centimeters in length, 300 to 700 grams in weight, and will contain around 30-50 cocoa beans. Knowing the right time to harvest the fruits is extremely important and takes a great deal of experience and knowledge, which cacao farmers develop over time. It is only when the cacao pods are fully ripe that the pulp surrounding the cacao seeds provides enough sugar for optimal post-harvesting processes. This is crucial for the later taste and physical properties of the chocolate.
The cacao pods are collected at special locations in the plantation, where they are carefully opened with the machete to remove the pulp with the undamaged seeds. This mixture of pulp and cacao seeds is then ready for fermentation.
