Brazilian cocoa and its potential to drive the bioeconomy gained international visibility during Cocoa Week 2026, held in Amsterdam in late February, one of the main global gatherings of the chocolate supply chain. At the event, Instituto Arapyaú presented two publications that bring together scientific evidence and economic analyses on cocoa production in Brazil, reinforcing the country’s role as a reference in production models that combine income generation, forest conservation, and sustainability.
The studies highlight that Brazil possesses unique conditions to expand its share in the global cocoa market through production systems based on agroforestry—an approach aligned with international demands for agricultural chains that are more responsible from a climatic, environmental, and social perspective.
Brazilian cocoa is profitable…
One of the publications presented was Economic Feasibility of Cocoa Agroforestry Systems – Modeling in the Amazon (Pará) and the Atlantic Forest (Bahia), developed in partnership with CocoaAction Brasil.
The research analyzes the economic feasibility of production models that combine cocoa cultivation with other agricultural crops and forest species. In total, eleven agroforestry systems were evaluated—seven in Bahia and four in Pará—representing different production arrangements.
The results indicate that all analyzed scenarios show positive financial performance. The evaluated systems recorded an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) higher than the discount rate, a positive Net Present Value (NPV), and favorable average income generation, demonstrating that cocoa production in agroforestry systems can be economically viable.
Originally launched in 2021, the study was updated to reflect transformations in the cocoa chain. These include international price volatility, increased production costs, new regulatory requirements in global trade, and the growing demand for rural financing.
According to Vinicius Ahmar, program director at Arapyaú, the update of the publication aims to increase security for investors and public policy makers. “The study expands the economic predictability of agroforestry systems and offers concrete data so that financial institutions and public managers can develop financing instruments and policies better suited to the sector,” he explains.
The work also addresses how cocoa agroforestry systems are aligned with global agendas gaining importance in international trade, such as supply chain traceability, biodiversity conservation, and deforestation-free production. In this context, the research highlights the compatibility of these systems with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which establishes new requirements for agricultural commodities entering the European market.
Despite the identified potential, the study also points out challenges for the expansion of these production models. These include the still-limited supply of seedlings and inputs, the scarcity of rural credit, and low coverage of specialized technical assistance. The document indicates that the coordination between financing and technical assistance will be fundamental to increasing the adoption of agroforestry systems in the country.
The research compiles public data, field information, and contributions from various institutions linked to the cocoa chain, including research centers, universities, civil society organizations, and companies in the sector.
… and strategic
The institute also presented the report State of the Art on Cocoa Production in Brazil, which gathers scientific evidence and sectoral analyses to provide an updated overview of cocoa production in the country. The document highlights that Brazil has more than 270 years of tradition in the cultivation of the fruit, in addition to a diversity of production systems and ecological conditions favorable to sustainable production.
Among the main differentiators of Brazilian cocoa is the strong presence of agroforestry systems. In regions such as southern Bahia, cultivation traditionally occurs in the cabruca system, where cocoa trees are planted under the shade of native vegetation. This model forms productive landscapes that reconcile agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem services, while also contributing to the climate resilience of the crops.
Despite the decline in global market share—currently, Brazil accounts for approximately 4.4% of global production and ranks sixth internationally—the report highlights that the country maintains a unique characteristic: it is one of the few major producers that possesses complete infrastructure across the entire cocoa chain, from seedling production and cultivation to industrial processing and chocolate manufacturing.
Ricardo Gomes, program director at Instituto Arapyaú, notes that bringing this evidence to the main global gathering of the cocoa chain was a way to reinforce Brazil’s role in the international bioeconomy agenda.
“Cocoa Week was an opportunity to take the Brazilian bioeconomy, through cocoa farming, to Europe and the world. This strengthens the image of Brazilian cocoa not only regarding quality but also in the commitment to producing sustainably, conserving forests, and valuing people,” he states.