It exists and is produced, I am told by a reliable source in Guangdong, China, in Hainan Island. It was not clearly described to me, so I cant really enlighten myself and the reader any further. The same company I am told also produces another confection, chocolate coated sunflower seeds. And the chocolate comes from plantations in Hainan. Which again was a surprise, because I had no idea that there were cocoa plantations in China.
Hainan is off Guangdong, is southern China. The Hainan province is really over 200 islands in the South China Sea. The largest, some 34,000 sq kilometers(about the size of Belgium) is the one that produces a whole range of tropical crops:rubber, coconut, coffee, pepper, cashews, pineapple, bananas, vanilla, longans, lichees, jack fruit, caramblas, lemon grass, lots and lots of rice and of course cocoa. About 20 to 30 tons a year, I am told.
The soil is volcanic, well watered by four long rivers and rainfall is around 1500 to 2000mm a year.The center of the island is mountainous. The highest Mount Wuzhi rises nearly 2000 meters. Temperatures and humidity in Hainan is a little low for truly luscious chocolate, I suspect. But no doubt the soil will make it interesting. I am trying to find out more.But it is good to know there are still surprises waiting to be discovered.
Incidentally I am told that the world famous Hainan Chicken Rice is unknown in the island.I am devasted!
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