Cocoa?

[soidog2]

We are making progress, the cacao (theobroma cacao) trees are flowering for the first time.

[slapout]

soidog, hope you will keep us abreast of how the bloom and subsquent pod development goes. Great photo, keep them coming as the chance of your being successful looks good.

[wetauser]

HI Guys,

I am also trying to get some Cocoa for my garden.

Had a reply from Montoso gardens to say that they have pods available just now but have never sent pods to Thailand before,so at the moment I am in the process of checking if I can import into the country, and post pictures of my own trees.

Mike

[wetauser]

Success! have Cocao trees growing in my garden

[soidog2]

You will need this when they start flowering.

What province are you in ?

For me, the pollinating midges are AOL; hand pollination is akin to brain surgery.

Have fun !

Sexual Reproduction of Cacao.pdf

Edited July 12, 2012 by soidog2

[wetauser]

Hi soidog2,

Thanks for the reproduction file, I take it no flowers and wine needed with this method.

I am in Jomtien,just south of Pattaya ,Chonburi. the seedlings in the photo actually came from a lady in Bangkok,and I am informed are from Choomporn originally .

I also have some seed from Montoso gardens pods,just sprouting and ready for planting very soon.

[pigeonjake]

it might be a bit late,im due back into thailand end sept, i know there is a man,thai in our village that has about 2 rai of cocoa growing, i saw it last year becouse hes a family freind, leave it with me and ill have a word with him when i get back, about seed or even cuttings,

jake

[soidog2]

it might be a bit late,im due back into thailand end sept, i know there is a man,thai in our village that has about 2 rai of cocoa growing, i saw it last year becouse hes a family freind, leave it with me and ill have a word with him when i get back, about seed or even cuttings,

jake

Interesting, please ask him how he gets his trees pollinated.

[pigeonjake]

• i will do mate as soon as i get back,
  

[jvs]

We have some young trees growing in a pot,located near Cha -am,if anyone interested we have some extra.

[BkruaiRetiree]

Hello, JVS. I'd really love to buy 2 or 3 of your cacao trees, if you still have them. I've been trying to find some for well over a year now. Where exactly is Cha-am? We're located in Bang Kruai - about halfway between Bangkok and Nonthaburi. Hope to "hear" from you soon.

[HenkKorat]

I am realy thrilled about what I read about growing cacao in Thailand. I was searching for knowledge about this for quite some time. Could somebody tell me more about the growing conditions like what kind of soil, what kind of vertilizer, what kind of sun/shadow, waterconditions, what to do during the growth and the like. I would be very much obliged.

By the way, I am Dutch and live half a year every year in Khorat and I have understood that the climat in Nakhon Ratchasima is ready for cacao.

[soidog2]

Original habitat is hot & humid with trees growing under high jungle canopy.

The pollinating midges need a wet environment to lay eggs, (small puddles among bottom leaf litter)

Other than a healthy soil and avoiding full sun you do not need to worry, they will grow.

[maidu]

any more tips or sources for getting some baby cocoa trees - it's all appreciated. Am in Chiang Rai.

[wolf5370]

I know this is an old thread (from 2006 on) but I just heard on the British Radio (via internet) that by 2020 we will have exhausted the cocoa on the planet - this is due to cutting of crops and replacing with rubber etc which have been more profitable. As we know coca grows in Thailand after a fashion, could be quite the cash crop in 6 or 7 years!

[loong]

I know this is an old thread (from 2006 on) but I just heard on the British Radio (via internet) that by 2020 we will have exhausted the cocoa on the planet - this is due to cutting of crops and replacing with rubber etc which have been more profitable. As we know coca grows in Thailand after a fashion, could be quite the cash crop in 6 or 7 years!

Cocoa will not be exhausted, but it may reach a stage that there is not enough supply to satisfy demand and price will rise. When that happens, the farmers that have changed to rubber and now seeing rubber prices drop before they can get their first harvest will be changing back to cocoa

[samuijimmy]

There is what I think is an abandoned cocoa farm on Samui, (not well looked after) perhaps they had an idea some years ago, it would be a good idea to grow cocoa?

lots of "wind falls" laying around...

A neighbour a couple of years ago, planted some seed... and has two plants about one meter high!

[cacaonut]

We are making progress, the cacao (theobroma cacao) trees are flowering for the first time.

Hiya,

Wondering how your trees are doing now?

How many did you plant and have you been able to harvest?

Cheers

[soidog2]

We are making progress, the cacao (theobroma cacao) trees are flowering for the first time.

Hiya,

Wondering how your trees are doing now?

How many did you plant and have you been able to harvest?

Cheers

Thanks for asking; they rather enjoyed the long rainy season.

I have 5 trees, two are larger and for the first time started producing pods. (picture for you)

Best regards

[samuijimmy]

Here are some I just saw the other day in same orchard as previous post.... on Samui

[riceyummm]

I know this is an old thread (from 2006 on) but I just heard on the British Radio (via internet) that by 2020 we will have exhausted the cocoa on the planet - this is due to cutting of crops and replacing with rubber etc which have been more profitable. As we know coca grows in Thailand after a fashion, could be quite the cash crop in 6 or 7 years!

Cocoa will not be exhausted, but it may reach a stage that there is not enough supply to satisfy demand and price will rise. When that happens, the farmers that have changed to rubber and now seeing rubber prices drop before they can get their first harvest will be changing back to cocoa

Yes Loong, that's the way it works here (Here! Hah! I keep forgetting that I'm in New Jersey caring for my ancient mother. My heart's in Thailand), but I see opportunity in that scenario too. In the California and Yukon gold rushes the people who cleaned up were those who sold pans and shovels and flour and coffee to the miners. I have never heard of a single miner who got out of there with a fortune (Probably were but I never read of one). Stanford, Hopkins, and Crocker did right well selling supplies and later building the trans continental railway (with the addition on Collis P Huntington to complete the Big Four) though. Now I see in my village that the suppliers for and builders of cricket farms are cleaning up. Crickets farms everywhere! If cacao is a viable and profitable crop anyone with an established farm will be in a great position to become a supplier of everything a hopeful cacao farmer could want and would pay Big Baht for.

It seems to be universal.......middlemen get the mine, farmers get the shaft!

If there is a flaw in this idea please point it out to me.

[teletiger]

A piece of land my wife recently purchased has a small coffee garden on it. About 50 trees, which I want to expand. I'm thinking some cocoa trees will compliment it nicely. Moccachinno! Anybody know there I can get cocoa trees, or seeds, in Chiang Mai?

Regards.

[samuijimmy]

My neighbour much to my surprise had two Cocoa tree plants which she planted seed two years ago...

This one made it to my garden a few days ago, I had root pruned about 6 weeks ago... it dug up with a good root ball!

About 5 feet or five brick blocks high... I am not sure how long before I'll be able to make my own chocolate!

[soidog2]

More progress, lots of fruit setting; looks like next year I can try my hand at making Chocolate.

[soidog2]

Probably most of the original participants are gone but, here it is; the first ripening pod!

[samuijimmy]

Probably most of the original participants are gone but, here it is; the first ripening pod!

yep looks almost ripe... take a taste when it is .... but be close to the toilet, it works like Ex-lax....

Look forward to seeing Soidog Chocolates on the store shelves soon!

[Mosha]

1 Fact is Ghanaians are leaving Cocoa for Rubber, Is it an option fir Southern farmers to switch over and make money?

[soidog2]

yep looks almost ripe... take a taste when it is .... but be close to the toilet, it works like Ex-lax....

Look forward to seeing Soidog Chocolates on the store shelves soon!

I am studying now !

[samuijimmy]

yep looks almost ripe... take a taste when it is .... but be close to the toilet, it works like Ex-lax....

Look forward to seeing Soidog Chocolates on the store shelves soon!

I am studying now !

This one was ripe!..... a little more orange colour and you'll be good to go ....

[teletiger]

1 Fact is Ghanaians are leaving Cocoa for Rubber, Is it an option fir Southern farmers to switch over and make money?

I'd have thought both would be good. Cocoa likes shade?

Regards.