Madagascar · Diana Region (Sambirano Valley, around Ambanja)
reviewed
Criolloadmixture
Madagascar's principal cacao region, in the humid Sambirano Valley of the northwest around Ambanja, widely associated with vivid fruit-forward and citric profiles and farmed by some 30,000 smallholders alongside historic estates.
Country
Madagascar
Region
Diana Region (Sambirano Valley, around Ambanja)
Growing region
Africa
Coordinates
-13.68°, 48.45° (approx.)
Elevation
0-200 m
Producer
regional
Genetic groups
Criollo, admixture
Traditional class
Trinitario
Also known as
Ambanja cacao
Bean notes
Mixed populations along the Sambirano River with a genuine Criollo component; genetic studies confirm Madagascar retains rare Criollo-derived material, traced to introductions in the early 1800s.
Harvest season
main May-Aug; smaller crop Nov-Jan
Fermentation
Estate and cooperative box fermentation, typically 5-7 days, often in tiered wooden-box systems.
Drying
Sun-dried on raised racks and platforms, sometimes briefly flash-dried on concrete first.
Flavour
bright red fruit · citrus · tangy acidity · berry
Certifications
organic
Updated
2026-05-22
Sources
Motamayor et al. 2008, PLoS ONE 3(10):e3311 (genetic clusters)
Fouet et al. 2021, 'Traditional varieties of cacao in Madagascar: their origin and dispersal revealed by SNP markers', Beverage Plant Research