Costa Rica is a country that, beyond its richness in biodiversity, has the quality of human beings who for years have been in charge of the cultivation of coffee, bananas, among other products.
Cocoa does not escape this output from the agriculture of Costa Rica, it is one of the important agricultural export products, which leaves a significant contribution to the economy, culture and national identity. In fact, it is said that cocoa cultivation has 0.0125% of the international export market, and, it is known that of suppliers from other countries, from that, only 3% can be classified as gourmet.
The meaning of cocoa in the world and its beginnings
Throughout America, this fruit is defined by indigenous people as “a gift from the gods”, also a reference for tourist and educational activities to maintain their legacy. Experts have emphasized that cocoa was already consumed in the indigenous cultures of Mexico and Central America about 3,800 years ago.
With the passage of time, in which advances have been generated at a global level, cocoa production has reached the African continent, and today is the main supplier of the industry. The natives call it a drink “of the Gods”, which has an authentic thickness and was created in its beginnings with other rich products such as corn, vanilla and even chili.
Cocoa has wonderful properties, which benefit both the heart and the regulation of blood pressure in humans. Its production has been partly in favor of the environment, since according to experts in the field it fixes carbon, maintains river basins, protects water sources and mitigates climate change in vulnerable areas.
The benefits of Costa Rican cocoa
The quality of cocoa in the Central American country has been recognized as -fine or aroma-, precisely by the International Cocoa Organization. This fruit is produced in rural communities, as we mentioned earlier, the majority indigenous, from the north, the Caribbean and the south of Costa Rica, located between 0 and 500 meters above sea level. There are more than 4,000 hectares of cultivated areas.
It is noteworthy that in Costa Rica the National Cocoa Plan 2.018-2.028 is underway, this plan includes financing from the Banking System for its Development. Now, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) with information from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), announced that the country generated a total production of 700 metric tons of cocoa, that production has remained stable in that range in the last 10 years.
Among other activities …
At the end of 2020, a strategy was launched to improve cocoa production, mainly in the countries of Costa Rica, Colombia and Ecuador. The activity called “Multi-agency Cocoa Platform for Latin America and the Caribbean Cocoa 2030-2050” was carried out by researchers from the countries, who maintained as fundamental objectives: adaptation to climate change and the establishment of optimal agricultural practices. It is worth noting that everything is focused on exports to the markets of the United States and the European Union.
In La Fortuna de San Carlos, specifically in the north of Costa Rica, there is the Rainforest Chocolate Tour, a tourist place where visitors can get to know the cacao trees and their different stages, in addition, people can witness the process by removing the seed , it is dried and ground, and then hot water is added. This important tourist site is visited by elementary and high school students, in order to learn about the history of cacao from the colonial era.
