mx-soconusco-chiapas
Soconusco
Mexico · Chiapas (Soconusco coast) reviewed
Criolloadmixture
The Soconusco region of coastal Chiapas is one of the oldest cacao-growing zones in Mesoamerica, historically prized in the pre-Columbian and colonial periods. Surveyed Criollo-ancestry trees survive among predominantly admixed cultivated populations.
| Country | Mexico |
|---|---|
| Region | Chiapas (Soconusco coast) |
| Growing region | Americas |
| Coordinates | 14.90°, -92.27° (approx.) |
| Elevation | 20-300 m |
| Producer | regional |
| Genetic groups | Criollo, admixture |
| Traditional class | mixed |
| Also known as | Chiapas, Soconusco coast |
| Bean notes | A genetic study of Criollo-type trees across seven demes in Soconusco identified trees with high Criollo ancestry; surveyed selections show elongated, deeply grooved, warty pods with white to lightly pigmented cotyledons, but most cultivated populations are admixed with introduced material. |
| Harvest season | main Nov-Mar |
| Fermentation | Smallholder and small-cooperative fermentation in wooden boxes, durations varying by farm. |
| Drying | Sun-dried on patios and raised platforms. |
| Flavour | nutty · mild fruit · honey · gentle cocoa · low bitterness |
| Updated | 2026-05-22 |
Sources
- Motamayor et al. 2008 (genetic clusters)
- Vázquez-Ovando et al. 2014, 'Genetic identification of Theobroma cacao L. trees with high Criollo ancestry in Soconusco, Chiapas, Mexico' — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25511024/
- Motamayor et al. 2002, 'Cacao domestication I: the origin of the cacao cultivated by the Mayas' — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12399997/