organicfoods:
I will be sharing with you my biggest farm exploit in Cocoa cultivation...It promises to be a big eye opener. watch out for this thread.

Cocoa
Cocoa is a cash crop and has played an important, vibrant role in rural economies worldwide. It is a crop that enjoys consistent global demand. It provides families with income and raising the standard of living in thousands of communities where it is grown and harvested. Cocoa is the second largest foreign exchange earner after crude oil. The global market for cocoa is very huge, growing at an average of 3% per annum. Nigeria’s cocoa export has equally grown over the years by an average of 40% annually and a cumulative of 280%. Nigeria is the world’s 4th largest producer and exporter of cocoa. Paradoxically, over 90% of the cocoa produced is exported. The target markets for cocoa are food and beverage companies, chocolate companies, soap making, companies both local and international. The selling price of cocoa beans as at today varies between 2195USD- 3130USD per ton and with the newly improved variety (hybrid) with the following characteristics:

a. Produces at least 2 tonnes per hectare, there are two harvesting season in a year heavy and light, you can harvest for 30 to 50 years.
b. Start producing in 2years
Shade Crop Plantain is a shade crop for cocoa. It protect cocoa from harsh weather condition as it develop to full maturity. If you are cultivating or planning to cultivate plantain without planting cocoa, then you are wasting a lot of resources, because investment/expenses on the establishment will be realized from the shade crop (plantain) as the consumption and exportation has risen tremendously in Nigeria in recent years and cocoa will later be an additional gain.