SÃO TOME AND PRINCIPE
These two volcanic islands are situated on the Equator, off Libreville (Gabon). During colonial times, the cocoa growing areas belonged to large Portuguese companies (cocoa growing areas of 5 000 to 10 000 hectares) where the indigenous population worked as agricultural labourers.
A farming culture did not exist or barely existed. After the carnation revolution (1976), Portugal granted independence to its colonies, including SÃO TOME AND PRINCIPE. The large cocoa growing areas had been mainly broken up and the land distributed to the population.
Today, cocoa growing is structured around small producers possessing between 2 to 5 hectares of cocoa.
Currently 27 cooperatives, united together at the heart of CECAB (cooperative for export of organic cocoa) are in partnership with KAOKA and are the direct suppliers to Organic Seed & Bean Co.
The original plant varieties are Amelonado (Forastero, lower Amazon).
