What Countries Grow Cocoa Beans?
Cocoa beans grow in equatorial regions of the world. Don Hebert/Creatas/Getty Images The cocoa tree originated in South America, where it was an integral part of many cultures. The beans of this tree are processed into cocoa, which is the basic ingredient of chocolate. This tree is known as “Theobroma cacao” in Latin; Theobroma translates to “food of the gods.” Cocoa beans are grown in three major regions. Central and South America and the Caribbean The South American countries of Brazil and Ecuador are the leading cocoa producers in that region of the world. Other Caribbean, Central and South American countries that grow cocoa beans include Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Grenada, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Columbia, Venezuela and Peru. The cocoa tree is native to the Amazon River basin, where it still grows wild in 2010. As use of the cocoa bean became more widespread (and agricultural methods improved), the tree spread throughout this equatorial r
