Proposal for the establishment of cocoa cultivation (Theobroma cacao L) in the northern part of the state of Veracruz

Abstract

Mexico produces 28,607 tons of cocoa per year, ranking 11th in the production of cocoa beans, contributing 1.2% of world production. Cocoa is cultivated in the southeast of the country, where the states of Chiapas, Guerrero, Oaxaca and Tabasco stand out. The Secretary of Agriculture estimates that by 2030 the consumption and national production of cocoa will present a cumulative growth of 19.49% as it is a very profitable crop, which makes the cultivation of cocoa a viable option to try to introduce it to the northern part of the state. from Veracruz. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to publicize the problems that cocoa cultivation has to establish and develop favorably in the northern part of the state of Veracruz, and to publicize if it is viable as an alternative to cultivate in large areas. This work was developed in an orchard in the municipality of Tihuatlán, Veracruz in cacao plants (Theobroma cacao L.) during the initial growth stage, comparing the conventional and natural methods. A physical-chemical analysis of the soil was carried out and different variables were evaluated to evaluate the development of the plants and the results were analyzed. A simple statistical analysis was performed on the results. Determining in the height variable that both treatments showed similar growth, however the conventional treatment at the end of the experiment showed better results. Regarding the variable, new shoots at the end of the plants with conventional treatment were the ones with the highest number of shoots with an average of 4 shoots, higher than 3 shoots with respect to the natural one. Based on the results obtained, we conclude that the soil should be treated before sowing and that the conventional method is the one that presented the best results, so it is considered that Cacao is a magnificent alternative for farmers in the region.