I cant blame Bloomberg for bleak news. It seems to be the trend these days. But they reported yesterday that our(Indonesia's) cocoa production could fall by as much as 21% in three years. Due to diseases infecting crops. That not a small bunch of beans nor small in consequences considering that Indonesia is the third largest producer of cocoa beans in the world.
Bloomberg quotes Halim Razak, Chairman of the Indonesian Cocoa Association who said yesterday that annual production could fall as much as to 380,000 to 400,000 tons if the diseases are not contained.
The cocoa trees have suffered from the blight of the pod borer larvae the late rains and late flowering and the Vascular Streak Dieback disease.It is very serious because 60 percent of trees in Sulawesi, Indonesia's main cocoa producing region, have been infected.
Halim Razak said yields can fall to 380kg a hectare, from the current 500.
Yesterday's Cocoa for December Delivery fell 2.1 percent to $2,540 a ton on ICE Futures US. The most active contract reached $3,290 a ton the highest in twenty years.
Earlier the International Cocoa Organisation had predicted that Indonesia's cocoa production for 12 months, ending October may only total 480,000 tons. Indonesia produced 530,000 tons in 2007.
Last month Mars Inc, makers of M&M and Snickers, said it was girding up to persuade cocoa farmers in Indonesia to raise production by planting cloned seedlings. The Company confidently stated that cocoa has a definite future in this country. Mars is working in Sulawesi as part of a sustainability programme funded by the Indonesian Cocoa Association, Australia, Belgium, Germany, the Indonesian Government, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the International Finance Corporation.
The Indonesian Government Ministry of Industry handbook( the best I have seen) commits that Sulawesi will be developed as a cocoa producing center.
Crop diseases may cost the Indonesian Farmer as much as $388million in output losses.
Mars Symbioscience coordinator Mohd. Hussin Purong said last month that his team was trying to persuade farmers to prune or cut down diseased trees and teaching them the benefits of composting to improve yields. Compositing has revived some trees and farmers are prepared to learn about clones derived from disease resistant strains.
On the market front Hershey's have already raised prices amidst rising costs.
Saturday, 13 September 2008
Friday, 12 September 2008
COCOA FROM PAPUA, INDONESIA.
From a satellite map it is green, criss-crossed by numerous rivers and streams, with a mountainous backbone with some of peaks tipped with glaciers.It reminds you of Venezuela.
The river Mamberama which winds through the territory is sometimes called the Amazon of Papua.With an area of 421,981 square kilometers it has a density of 6.6 persons per kilometer, 16000 plant species and fauna which include marsupiels like possums, wallabies and tree kangaroos.
It makes news regularly because the gold and copper mining company, Freeport is located in the highlands.
Most of the cocoa plantations are on the eastern side of the territory on soils that are immensely fertile. The climate is ideally suited for quality cocoa shaded by natural jungle. According to one estimate there are some 5,900ha of small holder cocoa plantations. But the same estimate says there is potential for 305,855ha for cocoa.
Coffee, aribica, is the other cash crop that is thanks to people like Starbucks is destined, primarily because of it remoteness, to be much desired. Both the cocoa beans and coffee are flown out to traders or buyers.
Next door in Papua New Guinea, cocoa is witnessing a revival. !00,000 tons are produced by over 6,000 Small holder cocoa families. Much of this cocoa is exported to USA, Singapore, Malaysia and even to Indonesia. Germany and the UK import about 5% of cocoa from Papua New Guinea.
I have not been able to get any reliable evaluation of Papua, Indonesia cocoa beans. But I hear that international, adventurous, chocolatiers have been snooping.More information in future Blogs.
The river Mamberama which winds through the territory is sometimes called the Amazon of Papua.With an area of 421,981 square kilometers it has a density of 6.6 persons per kilometer, 16000 plant species and fauna which include marsupiels like possums, wallabies and tree kangaroos.
It makes news regularly because the gold and copper mining company, Freeport is located in the highlands.
Most of the cocoa plantations are on the eastern side of the territory on soils that are immensely fertile. The climate is ideally suited for quality cocoa shaded by natural jungle. According to one estimate there are some 5,900ha of small holder cocoa plantations. But the same estimate says there is potential for 305,855ha for cocoa.
Coffee, aribica, is the other cash crop that is thanks to people like Starbucks is destined, primarily because of it remoteness, to be much desired. Both the cocoa beans and coffee are flown out to traders or buyers.
Next door in Papua New Guinea, cocoa is witnessing a revival. !00,000 tons are produced by over 6,000 Small holder cocoa families. Much of this cocoa is exported to USA, Singapore, Malaysia and even to Indonesia. Germany and the UK import about 5% of cocoa from Papua New Guinea.
I have not been able to get any reliable evaluation of Papua, Indonesia cocoa beans. But I hear that international, adventurous, chocolatiers have been snooping.More information in future Blogs.
THE BEST CHOCOLATE BOOK IN THE WORLD.
It arrived a day early from its place of origin, Barcelona:"Ramon Morato Chocolate". judged the best Chocolate Book in the World, by the Gourmand Cookbook Awards, in London last year. A wonderful birthday present. Thank you Jose!I feel very guilty considering for your birthday, I only send you a card.
The writer is in charge of the AULA CHOCOVIC School of Chocolate. On the cover, with his rimless glasses, he looks rather like the kind of heart surgeon you might prefer to be tinkering with yours. But reality his career is enhanced with a list of accolades One that rings really great is:Artisan Confectioner, "Master of Spain".
The book is of 600 pages with 230 step-by-step recipes. Ramon Morato though top at his profession is very much academically inclined. He has a tremendous interest in research and technology. Occasionally lectures at the University of Girona.
He works closely with the Research and Development Laboratory of Chocovic. Which incidentally is headed by graduates in Chemistry, Agriculture and Biology and more relevant second degrees.
Chocovic,also has in its archives a collection chocolates recipies dating back to the eighteenth century. Many of these belonged to the noble families of Spain and are recipes that call for preparations of their own particular preferences. Ramon Morato, given his studious background, must have been inspired by them.
I am delighted to own this book. I am sure I am the only one on this archipelago.
The writer is in charge of the AULA CHOCOVIC School of Chocolate. On the cover, with his rimless glasses, he looks rather like the kind of heart surgeon you might prefer to be tinkering with yours. But reality his career is enhanced with a list of accolades One that rings really great is:Artisan Confectioner, "Master of Spain".
The book is of 600 pages with 230 step-by-step recipes. Ramon Morato though top at his profession is very much academically inclined. He has a tremendous interest in research and technology. Occasionally lectures at the University of Girona.
He works closely with the Research and Development Laboratory of Chocovic. Which incidentally is headed by graduates in Chemistry, Agriculture and Biology and more relevant second degrees.
Chocovic,also has in its archives a collection chocolates recipies dating back to the eighteenth century. Many of these belonged to the noble families of Spain and are recipes that call for preparations of their own particular preferences. Ramon Morato, given his studious background, must have been inspired by them.
I am delighted to own this book. I am sure I am the only one on this archipelago.
Tuesday, 9 September 2008
SURABAYA CHOCOLATE!
A nice email from a member of the Academy of Chocolate,London alerted me to "Bonnat Srabaya Chocolat au Lait 65%" I was delighted of course because I have special fondness for Surabaya, the second largest city of Indonesia, after Jakarta, the capital.
A review describes is as a"gentle giant" among Bonnat's milk chocolates. It is mild enough for milk chocolate fans and the lack of sweetness will find it favor from those who prefer dark.
The cocoa undoubtedly comes from hand selected beans from the Katiklatak Plantation in East Java. Here cocoa is planted alongside rubber and coffee on hilly slopes refreshed by the humid breezes of the Indian Ocean.
Alex Rast describes it flavour;"starts with an olive taste with apricot an cinnamon, rum raisin, tobacco and a fresh tangy presence.
He goes on;"The first touch on the palate is light with vanilla, pistachio and citrus, then savoury, yeasty tones emerge, balanced sweetness, dark fruits, molasses, tea and fried food! After all this the flavour descends to a green tea."
It certainly, high praise for Surabaya and Java beans.
A review describes is as a"gentle giant" among Bonnat's milk chocolates. It is mild enough for milk chocolate fans and the lack of sweetness will find it favor from those who prefer dark.
The cocoa undoubtedly comes from hand selected beans from the Katiklatak Plantation in East Java. Here cocoa is planted alongside rubber and coffee on hilly slopes refreshed by the humid breezes of the Indian Ocean.
Alex Rast describes it flavour;"starts with an olive taste with apricot an cinnamon, rum raisin, tobacco and a fresh tangy presence.
He goes on;"The first touch on the palate is light with vanilla, pistachio and citrus, then savoury, yeasty tones emerge, balanced sweetness, dark fruits, molasses, tea and fried food! After all this the flavour descends to a green tea."
It certainly, high praise for Surabaya and Java beans.
COCOA FROM FLORES
If you looking for unique cocoa beans from micro plantations, then Flores is the place to go. If you are wondering where on earth is Flores, it 8 degrees below the equator, one and a half flying hours from Denpasar, Bali. There is only one flight a day do plan on staying the night.
Flores enjoyed a brief moment of glory in 2003 when paleoanthropolgists discovered a species that existed on this lush, volcanic island as recently as 11,000 BC. They closely resembled the hobbits.
The island, one of Indonesia's 17,000, is 330 km long at 70km at the widest point. It has an area of 13,540 square km and a mountainous, volcanic backbone. The highest point is 2,370 meters. Mount Kelimutu, near the sleepy capital of Ende, have a lake crater. It is unique because the waters, fed by volcanic gases, keep changing colour from bright red, to green to blue. Very recently it was turquoise.
The population of over 1.5 million is almost all Catholic. A legacy left behind by the Portuguese traders who discovered the spices of Flores back in the 16th century.
Flores devoutly produces more priests per head than any other place on earth.Several are at the Vatican.
Flores is also home of the Giant Rat, the Whales Sharks, and the notorious Komodo Dragon. This creature is grows to about 3 meters long with a face than uncannily resembles Dick Cheney's. A giant lizard, it looks deceptively docile, is a flesh eater and known to attack and chomp off bits of unsuspecting people.
Flores has suddenly come into the coffee limelight with the latest notable origin.
Flores Coffee is described by experts as being, heavy bodied,sweet, chocolaty, floral(of course)with woody notes.It is not yet listed at Starbucks menus in Jakarta.
Cocoa planted by smallholders is gradually being converted to coffee, as it is seen to be a more attention-getting and a better cash crop for now. Flores plantations that lie mainly on the Indian Ocean side of the island in the provinces of Bajawa produce just under 1000 tons of dried cocoa beans.Some fermentation is done on the island.
It is safe to conclude that Flores cocoa beans would have as much an exotica value and fine flavors and aroma to match the coffee. Purists like De Vries may find it worth days of journeying, dodging Giant Rats and Komodo Dragons, to discover some excellent beans. But they better hurry.
Flores enjoyed a brief moment of glory in 2003 when paleoanthropolgists discovered a species that existed on this lush, volcanic island as recently as 11,000 BC. They closely resembled the hobbits.
The island, one of Indonesia's 17,000, is 330 km long at 70km at the widest point. It has an area of 13,540 square km and a mountainous, volcanic backbone. The highest point is 2,370 meters. Mount Kelimutu, near the sleepy capital of Ende, have a lake crater. It is unique because the waters, fed by volcanic gases, keep changing colour from bright red, to green to blue. Very recently it was turquoise.
The population of over 1.5 million is almost all Catholic. A legacy left behind by the Portuguese traders who discovered the spices of Flores back in the 16th century.
Flores devoutly produces more priests per head than any other place on earth.Several are at the Vatican.
Flores is also home of the Giant Rat, the Whales Sharks, and the notorious Komodo Dragon. This creature is grows to about 3 meters long with a face than uncannily resembles Dick Cheney's. A giant lizard, it looks deceptively docile, is a flesh eater and known to attack and chomp off bits of unsuspecting people.
Flores has suddenly come into the coffee limelight with the latest notable origin.
Flores Coffee is described by experts as being, heavy bodied,sweet, chocolaty, floral(of course)with woody notes.It is not yet listed at Starbucks menus in Jakarta.
Cocoa planted by smallholders is gradually being converted to coffee, as it is seen to be a more attention-getting and a better cash crop for now. Flores plantations that lie mainly on the Indian Ocean side of the island in the provinces of Bajawa produce just under 1000 tons of dried cocoa beans.Some fermentation is done on the island.
It is safe to conclude that Flores cocoa beans would have as much an exotica value and fine flavors and aroma to match the coffee. Purists like De Vries may find it worth days of journeying, dodging Giant Rats and Komodo Dragons, to discover some excellent beans. But they better hurry.
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