Production | Products

Products Offered

MACEFCOOP offers unwashed Coffea canephora (robusta coffee) of all grades with good aroma and of fair average quality and good fermented sun dried cocoa. Members belonging to the various sections supply the cocoa and robusta coffee.

MACEFCOOP's diversification programme will also introduce commercial availability of organic arabica coffee and palm products.

coffee cherries

Cocoa

cocoa beans

The cocoa tree belongs to the genus Theobroma, meaning 'food of the Gods' in Greek. Only one species in this genus (Theobroma cacao is grown commercially. Cocoa is extensively grown in West Africa, Central and South America, and South and Southeast Asia, some on estates, but 80%+ is grown by smallholder farmers cultivating less than 3 hectares.

Cocoa is a forest plant, which has evolved to grow under shady conditions. Most cocoa is now grown under shade trees including:
forest trees left standing after the initial clearance of land;
food crops including plantain; herbaceous plants and shrubs; and
specially planted shade trees. Cocoa grown in direct sunlight can be more productive in the short term but insect pests and weeds then become a much greater problem, and production is lower in the long term.

A pile of harvested cocoa pods

Robusta Coffee

Robusta coffee, or Coffea canephora, is native to West Africa but cultivated in tropical regions throughout the world.

Green coffee

The beans have a stronger, more intense flavour than Arabica varieties and have greater caffeine content. Robusta coffee is used in blends with Arabica and is also used to produce instant coffee.

The beans grow on small trees which, if not pruned regularly, may grow to 6 metres height. Robusta has similar climatic requirements to Arabica coffee, but cannot be successfully grown where temperatures regularly fall below 0ºC. It may succeed in subtropical areas. An optimum temperature range falls roughly between 18-28ºC. Robusta coffee is resistant to coffee rust.

Propagation: Superior varieties can be propagated by cuttings and grafting, but there is not much segregation during sexual reproduction, so seed may be used for propagation also.

Family: Rubiaceae

Genus: Coffea

Species	Varieties
Arabica	Typica
Canephora	Robusta



	The cocoa tree belongs to the genus Theobroma, meaning 'food of the Gods' in Greek. Only one species in this genus (Theobroma cacao is grown commercially. Cocoa is extensively grown in West Africa, Central and South America, and South and Southeast Asia, some on estates, but 80%+ is grown by smallholder farmers cultivating less than 3 hectares.



	Cocoa is a forest plant, which has evolved to grow under shady conditions. Most cocoa is now grown under shade trees including: forest trees left standing after the initial clearance of land; food crops including plantain; herbaceous plants and shrubs; and specially planted shade trees. Cocoa grown in direct sunlight can be more productive in the short term but insect pests and weeds then become a much greater problem, and production is lower in the long term.