AUSTRALIAN COCOA

Little is known about Australian coco beans and coco production. But cocoa is being grown in parts of Queensland. A few dark chocolates Origin Australia have trickled out of the country and were available at Sogo Food Hall recently.

The cocoa tree first came to Australia in 1900 from Papua New Guinea. But serious planting and trials began only in 2000. The first harvest was in 2002.The trees are mainly of the Criollo variety.

The news from down under is that they are somewhat astringent with a light citrus taste. The climate is hot and humid. Cocoa is grown under commercial timber trees. However there is isn't the kind of rainfall that cocoa trees thrive under.

But processors and chocolate should take the Australians seriously. See what they did with wines. Queensland's main strengths are it resources,technical expertise, a capable grower base, hundreds of domestic chocolate manufacturers. Also Australia with it severe plant import laws will possible be able to produce disease and pest free cocoa which plagues the rest of the cocoa growing world.

If they get down to the task, the Australians are capable of producing a high quality product, with a clean, safe image. They will also be capable of high yields. There is a niche production for tourism, which has begun in a small scale.The producers will be leveraged to the value chain.

With a growing genetic resource base, the possibility is that the country could be capable some quality cocoa from hybrids in a few years.

Now that wine and chocolate is being paired and likened, perhaps the astute wine growers of Australia could also turn their noses and palates to creating prize winning chocolate.