Variety and Bean Types
Cocoa trees produce fruit, called pods, all year round, though harvesting is generally seasonal. Pods come in a variety of types since cacao trees cross-pollinate freely. These types can be reduced to three classifications:
Criollo. The prince of cacaos, Criollo is a soft thin-skinned pod, with a light color and a unique, pleasant aroma.
Forastero. More plentiful than Criollo, Forastero is easier to cultivate and has a thick-walled pod and a pungent aroma.
Trinitario. Believed to be a natural cross from strains of the other two types, Trinitario has a great variety of characteristics but generally possesses good, aromatic flavor. Trinitario trees are particularly suitable for cultivation.
Many cocoa farmers grow several varieties of cocoa beans on their farms. Due to cross-pollination, single trees with all the characteristics of a specific type are rare. Uniformity exists only where cacao plantations have been developed from the rooted branch cuttings of single “mother” trees.
In recent years cacao growers have turned increasingly to hybridization as a means of improving the quality of the bean and making it more disease resistant. Growers also turn to scientists who use state-of-the-art biotechnology to improve the quality of cacao and its resistance to disease.