Step #4: Drying the Seeds
Fermented seeds must be dried before they can be scooped into sacks and shipped to chocolate manufacturers.

Many farmers simply spread the fermented seeds on stackable trays or bamboo matting and leave them in the sun to dry. Some farmers use equipment like hot pipes or air dryers to speed the drying process.

The drying process usually takes about a week and results in seeds that are about half their original weight!

Step #5: Packing the Seeds
Once the cacao seeds are dry, workers scoop them into burlap sacks. When full of cacao seeds, the sacks can weigh anywhere from 130 to 200 pounds.

The sacks are soon transported to shipping centers, where they will await inspection by buyers.

Since cacao is perishable, sacks usually aren’t left sitting for long before they’re sent to their final destinations—chocolate and cocoa-making companies.