It is important to talk about the storage of cocoa, good practices ensure that at each stage of the process to ensure and maintain the quality of the raw material and thus expected to achieve the objectives set.
Traditionally, once the harvest is done, the cocoa beans are stored. It should be noted that farmers are always looking to optimize their production and are aware of any knowledge that involves improving it, even if that sometimes means being carried away by empirical methods.
Most producers place the sacks on clay blocks, others on wooden boards, where they are placed in warehouses with a roofed space. The purpose of this is to avoid moisture absorption because the grain is hygroscopic and can be affected by microorganisms or other factors that compromise the quality obtained. Joint efforts seek to improve fermentation techniques with respect to storage conditions in order to achieve the use of better technologies that will cause customs and traditions to give way to the promotion and development of better processes and therefore results.
It is important to remember that cocoa is a live fruit that needs an adequate storage for the time of permanence to ensure the freshness of the product. Among the materials used to make the bags is jute or sisal, which is a biodegradable fiber that provides protection, allowing the cocoa to breathe and maintain its humidity, thus controlling the appearance of mold. The material of the sack or fiber is an important element in the cocoa value chain because it keeps the product fresh and dry until it passes through the manufacturing process of the finished producer.
