EL SALVADOR - FINCA LA CATARINA

Cyrille is a French baker and chocolate maker by profession, so his passion for cacao is not new. He has always dreamed of producing his own cacao in El Salvador and transforming it in France, so it is therefore logical that he invested in a cacao farm on a land belonging to his wife's family in the Sierra Tecapa in El Salvador.

The model of his farm is for us unique. Finca La Catarina is a farm with a rather high altitude for a cacao farm (750 m) because it was historically dedicated to coffee growing. One of the main advantages of the farm is its rainwater harvesting system coupled with many shade trees that were preserved in the replacement of coffee for cacao 10 years ago. This exceptional terroir, the shade, the volcanic soil rich in organic matter and the polyculture farming practices form a unique environment.

Within the farm, a series of practices are implemented such as:

• the use of plant residues placed at the foot of the cacao trees
• structural practices for soil conservation and water management
• contour farming (to plant on a slope according to its elevation contours)
• the use of organic products for crop nutrition and protection.