Australian cocoa can be sensational as evidenced by Charley’s cocoa results at the Cocoa Of Excellence Awards. To develop the industry further there is a need to develop higher yielding cacao trees while maintaining bean quality to produce our best quality chocolate.
Charley’s has participated in the development of Agri Futures 2021-2025 strategic plan for the Australian Cocoa industry in order to advance the establishment of this innovative horticultural industry in northern Australia.
Growing cacao – Charley’s style
Charley’s Mt Edna plantation was planted in 2014 using cacao seeds from established crops in PNG. Today we are looking to use home grown and expertly developed variants via the efforts of The Centre for Wet Tropics Agriculture at South Johnstone here in FNQ. We are aiming to plant approximately 4,000 new trees in 2022/23.
Step 1
Seeds from our Mt Edna plantation are put into small containers with an appropriate mulch. We hope they ‘take’
Step 2
The seedlings grow into little trees in our shade house. By careful husbandry we are aiming for a low attrition rate. So far we have managed this well.
The science
The Centre for Wet Tropics Agriculture at South Johnstone has developed high yielding cocoa (cultivars) over the past 3-4 years. Charley’s is using these cultivars as the grafted on material for our new plantation.
Step 3
Grafting of a cutting from the Centre for Wet Tropics onto our little trees - small fingers are needed! This is done over numerous ‘grafting days’ as small trees become ready to take a graft.
Step 4
Grafted trees in our 20% shade house where they grow until they are ready for planting out.
References:
- Agri Futures Emerging Industries - https://www.agrifutures.com.au/rural-industries/e
- Charley’s blog – The Cocoa Industry in FNQ https://www.charleys.com.au/blog/the-cocoa-industry-in-fnq-/