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Dominican Republic Chocolate: Certified Organic and Absolutely Delicious

By Jane Goodwin | May 22, 2007

In the Dominican Republic, cacao is grown in the shade. Not just any kind of shade: Dominican cacao beans are grown in the rainforest, mixed with oranges, bananas, coconut palms and other tropical fruit trees.

Last year, the Dominican Republic exported over 8,600 tons of cocoa. This year, it hopes to double that number, and export 17,000 tons or more.

The Dominican Republic is the second largest exporter of organic cocoa in the Americas, and eighth in the world. At the next meeting of the International Cocoa Organization, the Dominican Republic will be admitted as exporter of fine and aromatic cocoa, according to Executive Director Jan Vingerhoets.

In the northeast part of the Dominican Republic (the country’s major harvest), projects are already underway to triple the country’s yield by a kind of cloning process. Much of the country’s cacao is grown by small farmers, on plots of 8-12 acres which are maintained by hand. Few use herbicides or pesticides, not only because of their cost, but mostly because most Dominican cocoa is certified organic by IMO of Switzerland.

Wherever you go in the Dominican Republic, you are going to smell rich chocolate. Dominican chocolate is far better than any other country’s chocolate, so be sure you have a taste while you’re there.

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Topics: Culture, Travel / Relocation, Lifestyle, Destinations |

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