Análisis de los costos del proceso de secado de cacao en baba para su exportación

Abstract

The production and refining of cocoa in the country, leads to consider how to improve each of the stages from the preparation of the land for sowing, to the selection of the best method for refining the product. Considering that cocoa production continues to be one of the main agricultural activities that contributes directly to the economic growth of the country. Therefore, in the present investigation, an approach to the drying process was carried out, making a bibliographic comparison of natural and artificial drying in a quintal of cocoa in slime used as a reference base of calculation. After analyzing both processes, it was identified that artificial drying is a more efficient process, since it saves operating time and is economically more profitable. The previous fermentation process was considered in both drying methods. Although artificial drying has an energy expenditure and labor investment, it turned out to be a more economical process. Natural drying is exposed to a factor that directly affects the drying process, such as climate change, on the other hand, if large quantities of cocoa need to be dried, a very wide area must be available. For this reason and other considerations, it was taken that the best drying process is the artificial one.