Cocoa beans

What it is

Grown as an intercrop in arecanut and coconut gardens of Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Fermented and dried beans go to chocolate makers.

Fermented dry beans (bean count per 100 g)Unfermented beans

Where India produces it

1. Andhra Pradesh

   2023-24: 12.38 thousand tonnes

2. Kerala

   2023-24: 10.75 thousand tonnes

3. Karnataka

   2023-24: 4.14 thousand tonnes

4. Tamil Nadu

   2023-24: 3.12 thousand tonnes

Where imports come from

Chocolate makers rely heavily on imports: cocoa product imports were 126.43 thousand tonnes in 2023-24 against bean output of 30.39 thousand tonnes.

• DR Congo — US$ 106.25 million imported under HS 1801 in 2024-25
• Ecuador — US$ 73.59 million imported under HS 1801 in 2024-25
• Dominican Republic — US$ 30.05 million imported under HS 1801 in 2024-25
• Peru — US$ 13.88 million imported under HS 1801 in 2024-25
• Côte d'Ivoire — US$ 12.57 million imported under HS 1801 in 2024-25

Rules before you buy or sell

• Imports of seeds, grain and plant products need a phytosanitary certificate and clearance under the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 2003.
• FSSAI licence or registration is needed to process, pack, store or sell it as food (Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006).
• Import and export are governed by the ITC(HS) policy; check the current DGFT notification before you sign a contract, because policy for farm goods changes often.

Businesses that use it

Dark Chocolate Making Unit →Milk Chocolate Unit →Cocoa Butter Making →Chocolate Milk (Bottled) →Confectionery (Toffee and Hard Candy) →