Removing the seeds from the pulp after the harvest

When the farmer harvests the cocoa, he collects the cocoa fruit, breaks open each fruit, and extracts the fleshy pulp from inside. The seeds are then cleaned of the pulp, as seen in this photo.

In the Dominican Republic, the tradition of placing the freshly harvested seeds directly in the sun without fermenting the cocoa beans has negatively affected the reputation of Dominican cocoa. Unfermented cocoa is referred to as Sanchez cocoa. Sanchez cocoa is considered to be of poorer quality and therefore receives a lower price on the market. Though Dominican cocoa is of the highest quality, the lack of a post-harvest treatment has greatly reduced the market value of the final product.