Apoy Benit Cacao Agricultural Farming

26/08/2026

Upon the invitation of Mr. Louie Getigan of the Calbayog City Agriculture Office, our farm manager, Osmeña Tajo, visited several cacao farms in Brgy. Panoypoy to teach local farmers proper pruning techniques and share practical ways to improve tree health and increase pod production.

After a full day in the cacao fields, he still managed to squeeze in a courtesy call on Calbayog City Mayor Raymund “Mon” Uy and his wife, Mrs. Angeline Uy.

Sharing knowledge, supporting fellow cacao farmers, and strengthening our local cacao-growing community - all in a day’s work! 🌱🍫

15/08/2026

🌱 WHY AUGUST IS ONE OF THE BEST MONTHS TO PLANT CACAO IN SAMAR

Timing matters when establishing a cacao farm. In Samar, August offers particularly favorable conditions for transplanting young cacao seedlings into the field.

🌧️ Reliable soil moisture. August falls within the wetter part of the year, when regular rainfall helps keep the soil moist. Newly transplanted cacao seedlings have relatively delicate root systems, and adequate moisture reduces transplant stress and allows the roots to establish more quickly.

🌱 Time to establish before the heavier rains. Planting in August gives seedlings several weeks to develop stronger roots before the generally wetter months toward the end of the year. A well-established root system helps young cacao withstand periods of intense rainfall and stronger winds.

☁️ Natural protection from the sun. Frequent cloud cover during the rainy season also benefits newly planted cacao. Young cacao naturally prefers partial shade, and reduced exposure to intense tropical sunlight helps prevent leaf scorching and excessive moisture loss while the seedlings adjust to their new environment.

🌳 Of course, timing alone is not enough. Good drainage, proper shade, healthy planting materials, and careful field maintenance remain essential—especially in Samar, where excessive rainfall and typhoons can pose serious challenges.

Plant with the rains. Grow with nature. Build strong cacao trees from the roots up. 🌱🍫

10/07/2026

🌱 One clear sign that a local government genuinely values agricultural development is when its leaders personally take an active role in promoting it.

We commend and thank City Councilor Bombie Enriquez for planting cacao trees in his own farm and contributing to the long-term growth of the local cacao industry.

Thank you for championing agriculture! 🌿🍫

10/07/2026

🌱 Producing premium cacao beans is a year-round commitment—it never stops. 🌱

Harvesting is only one small part of the journey. Behind every kilogram of quality cacao beans is continuous hard work and dedication.

Throughout the year, cacao farmers tirelessly:
🌴 Clear the farm of fallen coconut trunks, branches, and other debris.
✂️ Prune cacao trees to promote healthy growth and maximize productivity.
🌿 Apply foliar fertilizers to nourish the trees.
🚜 Cut grasses and control weeds to reduce competition for nutrients.
💧 Monitor pests and diseases while maintaining the farm’s overall health.

There are no “off seasons” in cacao farming. Every day brings another task that contributes to producing high-quality beans. When you enjoy fine chocolate, remember that it begins with the unwavering dedication of farmers who care for their trees every single day of the year.

09/07/2026

06/07/2026

We are happy to welcome three incoming 4th year Information Technology students from Leyte Normal University to our cacao farm as they conduct their research entitled “SmartCacao: Segmentation for Real-Time Fermentation Batch Classification using Hybrid YOLOv8 with DAG + DSC,” or simply SmartCacao. 🌱🍫🤖

Their goal is to develop a mobile application that can detect the fermentation level of cacao beans using Machine Learning and AI. This kind of innovation can greatly help cacao farmers improve quality control, consistency, and post-harvest processing.

01/07/2026

🌱🤝 Sharing Knowledge. Growing the Philippine Cacao Industry. 🇵🇭🍫

One of our greatest missions at Apoy Benit’s Cacao Agricultural Farming is to share our knowledge, skills, and real-world experience with fellow cacao farmers across the Philippines. We believe that every farmer trained is another step toward a stronger, more sustainable cacao industry.

Through hands-on training in cacao propagation, nursery establishment, grafting, farm management, and post-harvest processing, we hope to empower more farmers to produce high-quality planting materials and premium cacao beans.

Together, let’s grow not only more cacao—but more skilled farmers. 🌱🇵🇭

28/06/2026

For many years, cacao farmers had very limited opportunities to learn the essential skills of grafting and cacao seedling propagation. As a result, most planting materials had to be sourced from outside the islands of Samar and Leyte, making expansion more costly and less sustainable.

That is why, in every cacao training we conduct, we make it a priority that all participants—not only members of the Palapag Cacao Organization, but every farmer who joins our programs—leave with practical, hands-on skills in grafting and propagation.

We firmly believe that one of the best ways to strengthen the Philippine cacao industry is to empower farmers to produce their own quality planting materials. By equipping them with these skills, they become more self-reliant, lower their production costs, preserve superior cacao varieties, and help expand cacao farming within their own communities.🌱🌳🍫🇵🇭