Cacao

Venezuelan criollo cacao – such as that from Chuao, a village reachable only by sea – is considered among the finest in the world.

Cacao is a small tree of shady tropical forests whose small flowers and large ribbed pods grow directly from the trunk and thick branches. Each pod holds several dozen seeds surrounded by sweet pulp; once fermented and dried they become cocoa beans. It is grown in the shade of taller trees, in the warm, humid climate of lowlands and valleys. Venezuela is famous for criollo-type varieties, which give mild, aromatic beans with little bitterness, highly prized by makers of fine chocolate.

Significance in the country

In colonial times cacao was Venezuela’s main source of wealth, and plantation names such as Chuao, Porcelana and Carúpano are now marks of quality among chocolatiers worldwide.

Where it grows

On the coast of Aragua (Chuao), in Barlovento in Miranda, on the Paria Peninsula in Sucre, south of Lake Maracaibo (Zulia, Mérida, Táchira) and in the Orinoco Delta.

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