In general the processing of cocoa starts at the farm, where the primary processing is carried out. Following the opening of freshly harvested pods, the beans are placed in wooden boxes, allowing
natural fermentation for about 6 days. After fermentation, beans are transferred to sun drying platforms where a gradual reduction in moisture content occurs. When moisture content reaches values sufficiently low (6-7%), beans are transferred to storage rooms, then later bagged and marketed. At the manufacturing stage or secondary processing, the dried fermented cocoa beans are roasted and grinded and then follow two distinctive processing lines giving as final product powdered cocoa or chocolate.