Easter reminds us about new beginnings. After much planning, the first of our recent potting of seedings are showing. They are headed for Maria Creeks at Charley’s, Mission Beach.

Checkout the view at Origins of Charley's where the 2 photos show the backdrop to Maria Creeks, affectionately called the Crocodile Range.

Charley’s is doing its part to establish a cocoa industry in tropical Far North Queensland. Cocoa won’t grow anywhere else much in Australia. We have great support from the Centre for Wet Tropics Agriculture Researchers at the South Johnstone Research Facility.

To be a viable industry we need state of the art agricultural practices, the latest science and innovation. Labour and materials cost more in Australia than West Africa where labour costs are very low (often slavery rates). In Australia our counter is world class Agri practices.

Researcher Grant Vinning is a mine of information about cocoa cost structures, via his email newsletter. His latest info on landed cocoa costs gives us a benchmark to consider.