294 



COCOA 



CHAP. 



The export of cocoa from Ecuador during the last 

 six years has therefore been on an average 32,000 tons 

 per annum. As the world production of cocoa (or 

 rather the world export) was during these years on an 

 average 210,000 tons per annum, it is seen that 

 Ecuador exports about one-sixth of the whole. 



The majority of the plantations in Ecuador are very 

 large, and several belong to the same owner. Among 

 the most important owners may be mentioned the 

 brothers Seminario of Guayaquil, whom Preuss, on 

 account of their large possessions with several millions 

 of cocoa trees, called the " Cocoa kings of the world." 

 The brothers Aspiaza, the firm Morla, and others are 

 also owners of large and important plantations. 



Many plantations in Ecuador seem very strange to 

 those who are familiar with the way in which cocoa is 

 cultivated in other countries. Preuss, for instance, 

 says : l "I compared the cacao plantations of Surinam 

 to well-managed gardens ; those of Venezuela and 



1 I.e. p. 239. 



