1. Pre-harvest

a) Environmental aspects

Some physical characteristics of cocoa beans are influenced by the climate during the period of development of the pod. The major climatic factor is rainfall, though factors such as temperature and light conditions are also likely to affect pod and bean characteristics. Pods developing during the dry season will tend to contain smaller beans than pods developing during a wet season. Studies have shown that rainfall during the first 2-3 months of pod development is correlated with mean bean weight. Apart from bean weight, rainfall also influences fat content, the fat percentage being reduced by dry conditions.

The ambient temperature affects the composition of the cocoa butter, and thus its hardness. Evidence from Brazil indicates that the cocoa butter from beans which develop during cooler months contains a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids and is therefore softer (Lehrian, Keeney & Butler, 1980). Ambient temperature around the fermentation could also affect the initial progress of fermentation micro-flora activity. The climate in a cocoa growing area will also affect the choice of the methods of drying and may have some effect on storage. These matters are discussed later.