Chocolates made with almonds produced in Pará win gold, silver, and bronze at national competition
The support from the State, encouragement for the exchange between producers and those interested in local cocoa, and the organization of events in Belém and Altamira have been fundamental for achieving awards like these.
Once again, the cocoa almond produced in Pará ranks among the best in Brazil. Last weekend, in São Paulo, during the announcement of the winners of the II Brazil Chocolate Award from Cocoa to Bar, the top three places were won by chocolates that used almonds cultivated in the Tuerê settlement, in the municipality of Novo Repartimento, located in the Lago Tucuruí Integration Region, under the influence of the Trans-Amazon Highway (BR-230).
Cocoa farmers João Evangelista (gold), Valdemiro Brochel (silver), and João Rios (bronze) provided the almonds for the chocolates that respectively took the top three spots. The competition was part of the Brazil Bean to Bar Chocolate Week event, which promotes chocolate made by chocolatiers who acquire the bar directly from producers.
It was at the International Chocolate and Cocoa Festival, held by the Secretary of Agricultural Development and Fisheries (Sedap) in 2023, at the Hangar Convention and Fair, that producer João Evangelista – popularly known as “Rogério” in his community – met chocolatier Ariana Ribeiro, founder of C’Alma Chocolate, an artisanal bean-to-bar brand located in Goiânia, the capital of Goiás, which emerged as the grand winner of the competition held last weekend. He recalls that after participating in this edition, other opportunities were also generated.
Despite being a veteran in awards (he claims there are 14 in total), the producer said he maintains the same simplicity and dedication in his work to produce the best almond he can. “I was very happy with this important recognition. I met Ariana two years ago at the festival in Belém; then I received a call from her, and we started doing business. I was very happy not only because my almond won but because she won with her work, with the chocolate she produces using my almond,” said Evangelista.
The JE site, located in Tuerê, has 42 hectares, with eight hectares dedicated solely to cocoa. On the property, as he emphasized, the Agroforestry System (SAF) is used, where cultivation is done sustainably. In addition to cocoa shaded by species such as açaí, 'Rogério' cultivates another 36 forest species, such as andiroba, ipê, Brazilian mahogany, taúba, and angelim. Evangelista said that from Sunday to Sunday, he inspects his farm.
“I inspect my crop every day. I like this contact. It is important for us to take care of what is the fruit of our work,” said the producer, who highlighted the support he received in his journey from Sedap, the Executive Commission of the Cocoa Crop Plan (Ceplac), and the Solidaridad Foundation, which also assists the other two cocoa farmers who supplied the almonds used in the award-winning chocolates.
Support- The support provided by the State Government to cocoa producers has been fundamental for achieving national and international awards. During events such as the International Chocolate and Cocoa Festival – held by the Secretary of Agricultural Development and Fisheries (Sedap) – one of the objectives is to stimulate the generation of future business for the producers participating in the program.
The coordinator of the Pará Cocoa Production Chain Development Program (Procacau), agronomist Ivaldo Santana, said that this award is the result of Sedap's work with small cocoa producers. This is the case of the Tuerê settlement, where cocoa producers plant an average of up to six hectares.
“With our work of taking producers to national and international events, where training and information exchange occur, they are managing to stand out, producing quality almonds, and the result is here. This is already the 37th award that Tuerê has won overall. By participating in competitions so much, this brings results not only for the Tuerê community but for the municipality of Novo Repartimento and for the entire State of Pará,” emphasized Santana.
The exchange that occurs between producers, entrepreneurs, and vice versa, boosts the promotion of almonds produced in Pará in other states and even countries, as Ivaldo Santana evaluated. “Our almonds are the best in Brazil, perhaps in the world, in terms of quality, with a high cocoa butter content. All these conditions occur due to the training that the small producer receives, and this leads to these achievements,” defended Santana.
The winners of the II Brazil Chocolate Award from Cocoa to Bar were:
- Gold Medal: C'alma Chocolate, made with almonds from João Evangelista, Tuerê - Novo Repartimento (Pará)
- Silver Medal: Mission Chocolate, made with cocoa almonds from Valdemiro Brochel, Tuerê - Novo Repartimento (Pará)
- Bronze Medal: Monjolo Chocolate, made with cocoa almonds from João Rios, Tuerê - Novo Repartimento (Pará)
