In Hawai‘i, American Farmers Believe They Do Cacao Better - Modern Farmer

In Hawai‘i, American Farmers Believe They Do Cacao Better - Modern Farmer

On the rainy side of Hawai‘i Island, Daeus Bencomo steps through fresh mud in his cowboy boots, rows of leafy cacao trees on either side of him. He grips a bright orange pod and slices it neatly at the stem before bending a knee to cut the fruit open.  Daeus Bencomo. Photography by Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton. The pod’s dense and waxy exterior gives way to seeds coated in white pulp – sweet, bitter and nutty to the taste. They are destined for great…