Abstract

CARDONA VELASQUEZ, Lina María; RODRIGUEZ-SANDOVAL, Eduardo  and  MARLENY CADENA CHAMORRO, Edith. Diagnosis of cocoa post-harvest practices in the department of Arauca. Rev. Lasallista Investig. [online]. 2016, vol.13, n.1, pp.94-104. ISSN 1794-4449.

Introduction. Arauca region is the second largest producer of cocoa in Colombia. The cocoa quality characteristics are important, which are affected by the applied post-harvest practices, i.e. the fermentation and drying processes. Objective. Identify the cocoa post-harvest practices carried out in the main cocoa areas of the department of Arauca. Materials and methods. Fieldwork was performed on cocoa farms located in Saravena, Fortul, Tame and Arauquita, towns in the department of Arauca, where information about farm identification, crop characteristics, harvest practices and post-harvest handling was obtained. In addition, a photographic record of the area, where cocoa post-harvest handling is performed, was made. Analysis and Results. In Arauca, most cocoa farms used in the fermentation stage simple wooden boxes and ladder type, sacks, cans, plastic and cement box; moreover, fermentation is carried out directly on the ground through a pile. With regard to sun drying stage, home elba structures (movable dryers), awnings and solar driers with removable plastic siding are mentioned as the most developed methods in the post-harvest handling in Arauca region. Conclusion. In Arauca region, post-harvest handling through fermentation and drying stages, a direct relationship between the post-harvest practices and socio-economic and cultural factors is performed, introducing heterogeneity in the final characteristics of the cocoa bean that this region produces.

Keywords : Cocoa; fermentation; drying; Arauca.

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