Cocoa quality: a bittersweet issue

Viet Nam’s cocoa industry is hampered by low and inconsistent quality arising out of improper harvesting, storage and processing methods, experts said yesterday, April 26.

An industry conference was held in HCM City to discuss post harvest technologies and quality management of Vietnamese cocoa beans.

Co-organised by the agriculture ministries of Viet Nam and the Netherlands, the conference attracted the participation of nearly 100 cocoa farmers, companies involved in the cocoa industry, industrial experts and officials from relevant agencies.

Nguyen Tri Ngoc, director of the Cultivation Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the Central Highlands and Mekong River Delta offered highly favourable conditions for cocoa cultivation, but harvesting and processing of the beans was problematic since not all farmers were well trained.

Smilja Lambert of Mars Incorporated, a worldwide manufacturer of confectionery, pet food and other food products, said factors influencing the quality of cocoa beans are seedlings, post harvest processing (harvesting, pod storage, fermentation and drying), environment, pests and diseases.

Cocoa from Viet Nam is well fermented and has already a good reputation in the region but there are few problems that should be addressed. These include “low and mixed fermentation levels in some areas, very low cocoa flavour and too high acidity, smoke contamination and heterogeneity of bean ,” she said.

Flavor content in Vietnamese cocoa was not very high, so processing, fermentation and drying are critical to get the best possible flavour quality, Lambert said.

“There is no chocolate flavour in cocoa beans without fermentation, she said, noting that without fermentation, cocoa beans are very bitter and astringent and not useable for chocolate production. During fermentation and drying, cocoa flavour develops and bitterness and astringency are reduced,” she said.

Lambert also explained the importance of pod storage and sun drying. She said applying proper methods of storage and drying will help improve the cocoa flavour formation, speed up the fermentation and reduce excessive acidity.

Remedial measures

Pham Hong Duc Phuoc of the HCM City’s Agriculture and Forestry University said farmers had been harvesting beans before adequate maturity due to fears of theft, rats and for convenience in harvesting.

This lowered the quality of cocoa beans, he said, adding it was thus essential to impress on farmers the importance of harvesting ripe pods.

He also suggested that drying machine are used to dry cocoa pods in the rainy season to avoid mould.

Phuoc called for establishing clear criteria for ripe fruits, improving the fermentation process and spelling out the needs of buyers for farmers can modify their practices.

Ngoc of the Cultivation Department said Viet Nam will not expand cocoa cultivation on a mass scale, but focus instead on improving the quality of cocoa beans in order to help the sector develop sustainably.

His department will work with local authorities to organise agricultural extension programmes to provide farmers with skills and techniques in growing, harvesting and processing cocoa, he said.

The Government is also encouraging cooperation between concerned agencies and the private sector to develop the cocoa industry, Ngoc added.

Cocoa cultivation began in Viet Nam in 2002 and the area has been expanding rapidly, he noted.

Viet Nam currently has about 2,500ha under cocoa cultivation, mainly in six provinces – Dac Lac, Dac Nong, Binh Phuoc, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre and Tien Giang, producing some 1,000 tonnes of dried beans a year.

Cocoa can be grown under the shade of other crops such as coconut palms and in other plantations.

Viet Nam News

Tags: Vietnam agriculture, Vietnam Cocoa