A huge percentage of global cocoa production resides within the African continent with the crown for production numbers falling to Ivory Coast (Cote D'Ivoire) at almost double its neighbor Ghana's production. The total production numbers for the bean have grown through the last decade not due to increasing yields but rather increased production area. Key producers for the 2007/08 year, according to the International Cocoa Organization's forecasts, include the following:
| Production of Cocoa Beans (1,000tons) | |
| Ivory Coast | 1380 |
| Ghana | 700 |
| Nigeria | 200 |
| Brazil | 165 |
| Indonesia | 480 |
Trees begin to bear fruit when they are four or five years old and produce an average of twenty pods a year which spring from flowers pollinated by tiny flies, or midges. Once a pod ripens, it can contain anywhere from 20 to 60 beans embedded in pulp within an orange-colored rind. Pods are opened and the pulp and seeds are allowed to ferment or "sweat", a process by which the pulp liquefies leaving the beans to be collected and then dried.
Pods can mature on the trees throughout the growing season from October to September but there is a general consensus that among producing nations there is a main crop and a mid-crop. However, since cocoa is a tropical crop, changes in the weather and the near year-round rainfall for some growers means that main and mid-crop harvest times can fluctuate.
Cocoa beans tend to use the following route from farm to factory:
| Farmer delivers dried bears to exporting company |
| Exporter inspects and bags the cocoa beans |
| Exporting company finalizes shipping time and details |
| At destination ports, beans are taken from the hold and placed in warehouse |
| Cocoa beans are collected from warehouse and taken to processing facility |
Disclaimer: There is risk of loss in all commodities trading. Losses can exceed your account size and/or margin requirements. Commodities trading can be extremely risky and is not for everyone. Some option strategies have unlimited risk. Educate yourself on the risks and rewards of such investing prior to trading. Futures Press Inc., the publisher, and/or its affiliates, staff or anyone associated with Futures Press, Inc. or www.learnaboutfutures.com, do not guarantee profits or pre-determined loss points, and are not held monetarily responsible for the trading losses of others (subscribers or otherwise). Past results are by no means indicative of potential future returns. Options DO NOT necessarily move lock step with the underlying futures contract. Information provided is compiled by sources believed to be reliable. Futures Press, Inc., and/or its principals, assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions as the information may not be complete or events may have been cancelled or rescheduled. Any copy, reprint, broadcast or distribution of this report of any kind is prohibited without the expressed written consent of Futures Press, Inc.