Everyone all over the world loves chocolates irrespective of age, caste, creed or religion and the tree that produces the raw material for this every time favourite is Cocoa. Scientifically known as Theobroma cacao, the tree flourishes in the dense shades of warm rainforests.

    The generic name Theobroma is derived from the Greek word for “food of god”. It is a small evergreen tree native to the forests of central and South America. The tree is a member of Sterculiaceae Family. The main feature of the cocoa tree is that the flowers are borne directly on the trunk and this phenomenon is called cauliflory. Since the tree is basically of forest origin the best soil is forest soil rich in humus.

   In cocoa three varieties are mainly identified—Forastero, Criollo and Trinitario. The soil should allow easy penetration of roots and be capable of retaining moisture during summer. Cocoa is usually planted in coconut....