Socioeconomic and parasitological factors that limit cocoa production in Chiapas, Mexico

Abstract

The main goal of this research was to identify the socioeconomic and parasitological factors that limit cocoa production in Chiapas, Mexico. One hundred and nine cacao-growers were visited and interviewed in the two main cocoa-producing regions. According to results only 14.7% farmers grow white-almond cacao. The average production unit is 2.6 hectares. Cacao growers are 59 years-old on average and 56% of them did not finish elementary school. Only 19.3% of the production units are under woman responsibility. Average yield is 118 kg ha^-1 and 60.5% growers sell cacao to intermediaries. Pests that affect the crop and their occurrence include Moniliophthora roreri (100%), Phytophthora capsici (67%), Fusarium sp. (10.1%), Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (3.7%), Ceratocystis cacaofunesta (0.9%), Atta sp. (33.9%), Toxoptera aurantii (11%), squirrels (7.3%), Xyleborus ferrugineus, Xylosandrus morigerus, Hypothenemus birmanus, Corthylus minutissimus, Taurodermus sharpi, Hypothenemus interstitialis (5.5%), Vanduzea segmentata (5.5%), woodpecker (4.6%), Selenothrips rubrocintus (3.7%), Clastoptera laenata (3.7%) and mole (3.7%). Moniliophthora is the main factor that affects cacao survival and biodiversity in Chiapas. The disease destroys production, makes control uneconomical and causes growers to abandon their plantations.