Chocolate makers stoke boom for Indian cocoa beans

His farming career began in the 1970s when he inherited a rubber plantation in the the southern Indian state of Kerala , which he managed alongside his career as a doctor.

It was a bad time to inherit a rubber plantation, falling rubber prices meant it kept losing money. So, 10 years ago Dr Matthew decided to experiment with cocoa trees, hoping they would generate some funds to support the rest of the farm.

He bought some saplings and planted them. It didn't go well.

"It was not that successful - most of the saplings died," he says.

Squirrels appeared to be making the situation worse by grabbing cocoa bean pods and eating them.

But those raids had an unexpected benefit - cocoa seeds were spread all over the farm.

"All the scattered seeds soon grew in to plants and they were much healthier and stronger than the saplings I had planted," says Dr Matthew.

"The trick was in sowing the seeds," he realised.

Today Mr Matthews has 6,000 cocoa trees on his 50 acres of land.

"I think it was the best decision I have made," he says.

Despite having several regions with weather conditions suitable for cocoa trees, India only accounts for 1% of the world's cocoa bean production.

Global production is currently dominated by West Africa, where Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana between them produce more than half of the world's annual output.

Indian growers can only supply a quarter of the beans needed by Indian makers of chocolate and other confectionary.

"The challenge is that it is grown in very fragmented small holdings, so it does not get the kind of attention cocoa should get," says Renny Jacob, chairman of India Cocoa, a private company that has been growing and processing cocoa beans for more than 30 years.

In particular he says that Indian farmers are poor at handling beans after they have been harvested. Once removed from their pods, beans go through a fermentation process at the farm, which can make a huge difference to their flavour.

"Cocoa fermentation is a critical process in the production of chocolate, transforming raw cocoa beans into a form suitable for chocolate making," says Sarin Partrick, chief executive of India Cocoa.

"This complex process involves several stages and the activity of various micro-organisms, which help develop the beans' flavour, aroma, and colour," he says.