When a person wonders what is the best cocoa in the world? many are sure that Venezuelan cocoa has this privilege. Both cocoa and Venezuelan chocolate have had a great impact on the culture of that country, not only because of the economic benefits obtained thanks to its export, but also because its presence influenced the process of miscegenation of its inhabitants and was a trigger to support the independence of the country.

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Venezuelan cocoa: complete summary

What is cocoa? Cocoa is called the cocoa tree or cocoa tree that is native to the tropical countries of America. Theobroma cacao L. is the scientific name of this tree, which in Greek means "food of the gods". It needs temperatures between 21 °C to 25 °C and grows under the shade of large trees. Its fruit bears the same name, and is used to make chocolate, but it is also used in medicine and cosmetics.

The parts of cocoa are:

For a long time it was assured that the cocoa seed came from Mexico and spread throughout the rest of Central and South America. There are investigations made to the mitochondrial DNA of Creole cocoa reveal that the origin of cocoa in Venezuela arose in two areas of the Venezuelan territory in the South of Lake Maracaibo, a region made up of the states of Zulia, Mérida, Trujillo and Táchira. The second area is in the east of the country, on the Paria peninsula in Sucre state, the Delta and Amazonas. Based on these results, many affirm that kakao from Venezuela originates from the country, and that when used as currency, it reached Central America.

Cocoa production in Venezuela is well known, as is its main product, chocolate, dating back to pre-Columbian times. This obtained great popularity due to its particular aroma and quality, its roasted seeds were light in color like hazelnuts, with a mild flavor. It was rated as the best in the world at the World Cocoa Conference in 2016. The high quality of cocoa has allowed the high quality of Venezuelan chocolates.

Influence on the culture and identity of Venezuelans

Because culture is strongly linked to everything created by human beings, the history of cocoa in Venezuela and everything related to it has influenced the cultural practices of the areas where this fruit is grown, becoming part of the identity of many Venezuelans, to the point that there is the Venezuelan cocoa day, celebrated on October 1 since 2015. This festivity was promoted by the Nuestra Tierra foundation to promote its consumption.

The cocoa plantations were mainly worked by slaves brought from Africa, which caused the introduction of their beliefs, culture, dances and music to the country, especially to the coastal region. Cocoa production was one of the reasons why the importation of African slaves increased, greatly influencing Venezuelan culture.

The importance of cocoa also gave rise to several expressions that are still used in Venezuela, such as "they are given great cocoa and it does not even reach coffee grounds" or "you are asking for cocoa." Among the religious and cultural festivals where cocoa participates are:

Great Bonfire of Cocoa

This festival takes place in the city of Río Chico, in the Barlovento region, Miranda state. This town was founded by slaves brought from Spain to work on the cocoa farms. The slaves used to light a cocoa fire and dance around the Virgin of Las Mercedes to ask for their freedom. Currently this tradition is celebrated 48 hours before the celebration of the Day of La Virgen de Las Mercedes.

The villagers light a seven meter high bonfire, made up of 140 wooden logs. At night there is a theatrical presentation, which is based on narration, dialogues, songs, music and choreography where the inhabitants remember their ancestors.

Pariano Chocolate Festival

In the town of Río Caribe, in the state of Sucre, the Pariano Chocolate Festival is held on October 6 and 7, where craft, gastronomic, cultural and recreational activities are carried out. The objective of the festival is to bring together different people who work with this product, such as producers, artisans, entrepreneurs. The fair began in 2012 and from 2014 they began to give educational forums and talks. Three national congresses on cocoa and its derivatives have also been held, in addition to various international chocolate fairs.

Production of cocoa and Venezuelan chocolate

How to plant cocoa in Venezuela? Planting cocoa in Venezuela requires a long process for the cocoa beans to turn into chocolate. The quality will depend on the knowledge of the trees, their supervision and maintenance. This process is mostly handmade, hence the value of cocoa and chocolate in the market.

cocoa planting

How is cocoa grown in Venezuela? Cocoa from Venezuela is the result of a long work, because cocoa trees take 5 to 7 years to give their first production, so planting must be constant. The ideal is to use fertile and humid valleys, since the mountains protect the tree from strong winds and storms. The land should be free of weeds, but the leaves and fruits that fall should not be removed as they serve to fertilize the land.

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The amount of sun the plants receive should also be controlled. This is achieved by planting other taller trees at an ideal distance so that their branches barely touch each other and let the sun's rays pass through. The germination of the seeds occurs in the nurseries, the seeds can be obtained directly from the plants or purchased. The mucilage must be removed.

While the nurseries are in place, good control of pests and diseases must be maintained. The seeds germinate 3 to 5 days later and must be cultivated in the shade, with high humidity and with an optimum temperature of 23° C.

After 4 months the plant can be transplanted to the field, the planting time in the nursery varies according to the region, but there must be humidity. The presence of banana trees and other fruits, in addition to providing shade, nourish the soil with their fruits. Irrigation must be carried out with well-designed water channels with stone dams that allow the natural flow of rivers on the land. The use of drains prevents damage from rain and humidity, such as the appearance of fungi and diseases.

As the cocoa tree grows, it is pruned to allow light to enter. Once it is in production age, it is pruned so that it does not grow too much and it is easier to harvest its fruits.

chocolate production

For Venezuelan cocoa to become chocolate, it must go through several stages that must be carried out with great care to ensure the quality of the product:

1. Harvesting: it is generally harvested by hand using a harrowing rod that, depending on how it is used, has different shapes and the cob, the fruit of the tree, is opened using a machete to guarantee its quality, since once the fruit is separated from the tree initiates a fermentation process.
2. The disgorgement: the next step is to open the exocarp (the maraca) which is the thick shell of the pod. The pulp that covers the seeds of this fruit is removed.
3. Fermentation: These are fermented in wooden boxes covered with banana leaves, riki-riki, or mijao. The duration of fermentation depends on the strain, and can be between 3 to 7 days. To prevent the appearance of fungi, it is given air and oxygen by turning it over with wooden sticks.
4. Drying: after being fermented, it is placed in special patios with special roofs to protect them from rain and dew. It is in this step where the smell of chocolate is developed.
5. Selection: to select the seeds that have a suitable weight and size, a roller made up of two meshes with holes of different sizes is used. When turning, the good-sized seeds fall into the bags. The rest is separated and used to make other products.
6. Storage: the bags where they are stored must be yacht bags to ensure that the grain can breathe. If it is going to be exported, it is recommended that the grain has between 5% and 8% humidity to ensure a good and final oven drying at its destination.
7. Roasting: machines similar to those for roasting coffee are used to roast cocoa. Depending on the type of grain and density, the temperature varies. It is important that the grain is of uniform size so that there are not some that are too wet or too dry.
8. The shell: in this step the skin that covers the seed is finely peeled. For this, a machine is used that applies friction by friction and air. The fruits must follow certain parameters to be selected. An instrument called a guillotine cuts the seed in two and reveals its interior so that its color, texture and composition can be seen. The shell is used to make tea.
9. Grinding of the seed: this process leaves the cocoa liquor. The fruit is pressed and the butter is extracted, the rest of the paste is where the powder is obtained.
10. The mixture: the paste is mixed with liquor and cocoa butter. The amounts depend on the factory or master chocolatier. High-quality chocolates generally contain sugar, soy lectin, and vanilla in small amounts, while more commercial ones contain added flavors, preservatives, and artificial flavors.
11. Conching: the mixture is kneaded at a temperature of 70 ° C for hours or days until a spreadable product with a smooth and aromatic texture is achieved.
12. The tempering: now the mixture is subjected to temperatures of 50 °C and this can go down to 30 °C depending on the type of chocolate. Then you have to raise the temperature little by little until crystallization is achieved and a homogeneous product is obtained.
13. Molding: the chocolate becomes liquid and is placed in a mold to let it crystallize so that it takes on its shape of blocks, tablets, shapes, discs or drops.
14. Conservation: chocolates must be made at temperatures between 12 °C and 20 °C in places with little humidity, without odors and away from light. If the tablets are stored for long periods of time, they can remain in controlled refrigeration tanks. If they are bonbons or chocolate with filling, they must be stored under vacuum and frozen.

Cocoa exploitation in Venezuela

The history of cocoa begins before the arrival of the conquerors in America. The indigenous people who occupied the territory, like the Mayans and the Aztecs, used this fruit as food. Two indigenous groups, Cuicas from Trujillo and Timotes from Mérida, prepared a drink that was prepared with cocoa beans called “chorote”.

When the Spaniards arrived, the first cocoa farms began to be built. It was the Jesuit congregations who developed the cultivation of cocoa in the Andean areas of the country. The cocoa industry began after the expansion of cultivation throughout more regions while the conquerors occupied the territory. What is grown in Venezuela at this time besides cocoa? of cultivated barley, garlic, cotton, tobacco, coffee, corn, wheat and sugar cane.

The indigenous people were not used for work since, unlike the Spaniards, they were not used to sedentary agriculture and for them the salary did not represent anything. In addition, they could not be forced to work, since the kings declared that the Indians were their vassals, although several conquerors ignored this.

The Jesuits were an important element, because in addition to the evangelization and the subjugation of the indigenous by methods that did not require violence, they promoted agricultural and livestock activities, including the planting of cocoa.

trade in colonial times

During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries cocoa became the main engine of the agricultural economy. Those who benefited most from these transactions were the peninsular whites (inhabitants who came directly from Spain and held the most important positions) and the Mantuans or Creole whites, who were the direct descendants of the conquerors and the high-ranking peninsular officials who married Creoles.

Due to the sums of money that were handled, smuggling was common among the French, Dutch and English. So much merchandise was illegally exported that export inventories are believed to reflect only half of what was sold. Due to this, in 1728 the Real Compañía Guipuzcoana de Caracas was created to market cocoa. The disagreements between the cacao farmers and the Crown regarding regulation was one of the triggers in favor of the war of independence.

Cocoa production suffered a significant decrease after the War of Independence, the Federal War and the abolition of slavery, which left the farms without labor, which allowed the coffee boom. It was after the 19th century that cocoa boomed again in the country.

Situation of cocoa in Venezuela today

The cultivation of cocoa in Venezuela at present presented a significant drop after the exploitation of oil, which became the main source of income and many people leave the fields to go to the city. In the 21st century, it becomes important again thanks to the work of small producers, cooperatives, landowners and private initiatives. Cocoa is currently harvested throughout the year, but the two major harvests occur at the summer and winter solstice.

It was in 2012 where Venezuela had its maximum cocoa export, with some 31. 992 tons. Venezuela, occupying the 15th position among the main exporters of cocoa, the first position is occupied by the Ivory Coast with an annual production of 1.2 million tons for the year 2018.

In the country there are several haciendas, cooperatives and chocolate factories. Some of these are:

types of cocoa

The types of cocoa in Venezuela are grouped into three large genetic families, which in turn are divided into several different versions, some arose naturally and others artificially due to human intervention. Classification is a simple way to understand what cocoa is, in addition to organizing all the processes associated with it. Depending on the area, one type predominates more than another.

Creole

Criollo or fine cocoa is, in the opinion of many, the best grain due to its aroma and flavor, which is considered delicate, fragrant and elegant. In Venezuela there is a great variety of Creole cocoa, and its origin is attributed to it. Among the varieties there are: Andean Criollo cocoas, Porcelana and Pentagona Criollo cocoas. It represents only 1% of world production.

Stranger or ordinary

Forastero cocoa is the most common and bears a large number of fruits, but is inferior in terms of aroma. This was introduced by the Spanish to ensure the supply of cocoa for Europe. This is more resistant to diseases so it is used to improve and make other types of cocoa more resistant. Among the variations of its shape and aroma can be Angoleta, Cundeamor, Amelonado and Calabacillo. It represents 90% of world production.

Trinidadian or Deltarian

Trinitarian cocoa is a descendant of the previous two. Its name is due to the fact that its birth was in the areas of the Delta in Venezuela, from where the island of Trinidad starts. It has the characteristics of Creole and Trinitarian cocoa, making it have a good aroma, robust and productive. Most of the plantations in the states of Aragua, Miranda and Sucre have this type of cocoa, making it the one that occupies 10% of the country's production.

Venezuelan states where cocoa is grown

Where is cocoa produced in Venezuela? Cocoa is planted in a large part of the territory, which has allowed the development of chocolate companies in Venezuela.

North-Central Region

The state of Miranda is the one with the largest cultivated area and the largest production, especially in the Barlovento subregion. Other states where it is produced are Carabobo, Aragua and Yaracuy, where the soil has poor drainage and a high water table, and with good fertility. For its part, planting in Aragua is done in the tropical dry forest. The rain is irregular and the drought lasts between 3 to 4 months. Creole cocoa occurs in the towns of Carenero, Miranda state, while in Aragua in the areas of La Guaira and Chuao, Choroní and Ocumare. It is in Chuao where the entrance to access the cacao axis (or cacao route), a tourist route, is located.

eastern region

Among the main cocoa producing states in Venezuela is the state of Sucre. The conditions of this state, such as its temperature, whose average is 22 to 29 °C and a height that goes from sea level to 1,000 meters above sea level, which makes it an optimal place for production. For their part, the states of Monagas and Delta Amacuro are planted in tropical dry forest with fertile alluvial soils. Creole cocoa is planted in the town of Río Caribe and Carúpano.

Western region

The states of the western region that produce cocoa are Zulia, in the towns of Santa Bárbara and on the banks of the Catatumbo River. In Mérida, Táchira and Barinas in areas of tropical rain forest. Criollo cocoas are planted in the South of the Lake, Criollo de Mérida (Merida state), Guasare (Zulia state).

Venezuelan cocoa was the main product exported in the country for a long period. It is a fruit that requires a long process and a lot of care to ensure its high quality, which makes it such a precious product along with Venezuelan chocolate. Cocoa influenced the identity of Venezuelans and is an important part of their culture, coming to exist on the national day of Venezuelan cocoa.

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