How Sweet It Is!

The United States leads the world in exporting chocolate products and U.S. consumption in 2023 accounted for more than $50 billion in sales. In order to sustain the U.S. chocolate industry and consumers, ARS research protects cacao production around the world from diseases affecting growing and harvesting cacao pods, which are the raw, unprocessed version of cocoa. ARS researchers at the Tropical Crops and Germplasm Research Station in Mayaguez, PR, are studying ways to protect cacao from black pod (pod rot) and other diseases that are major problem for cacao production.