When sowing cacao seeds, choosing high quality cacao seeds is of course an important step that will determine the result of your harvest. Characteristics of high quality and healthy cacao seeds are:
- Seeds aren’t from cacao trees with diseases or virus
- Seeds are from generative seeding from ripe cacao fruits. The seeds are then taken out and sun dried.
- Seeds don’t float in water.
- Seeds feel heavy in your hands
- Seeds surface is free from powdery substances that are most likely to be caused by pests
- Seeds are from cacao trees that are older than 4 years old
- Seeds are from proven variety of cacao
However, you can get high quality cacao seeds directly by consulting your local agriculture department office to get as much information as needed about all varieties of cacao trees, including the high quality ones.
Another way to get high quality seeds is by talking to other professional cacao farmers in your area. In Lampung Province, Indonesia, for example, there are many cacao farming facilities in Pesawaran, Tanggamus, Pringsewu, Kalianda, and Mesuji.