Cocoa generates income for Salvadoran coffee producers during the pandemic

The institution indicated this Thursday in a statement that "it continues to strengthen the capacities of producers who have diversified coffee systems in conjunction with other items, including cocoa production." "The program has provided technical support and trained producers in the processing of cocoa, which many had planted on their farms, but due to lack of knowledge about manufacturing techniques, it was not able to add added value" and they were limited to "very basic marketing" , according to Norma Arias, Procagica technique. He explained that the initiative to produce "cocoa derivatives in combinations with coffee" has been put into practice in a cooperative in the eastern department of Usulután, "where several of its producers already had criollo cocoa plantations." "Despite the crisis caused by COVID-19, we have continued working on processing cocoa derivatives, this has helped for an extra income," said Arias. She explained that the "program provided the cooperative ...