2019 Partner Report

Finca Elvesia
Dominican Republic

Good Year For:

Expanding the Farm

Finca Elvesia doubled in size with the aquisition of 100 hectares of cacao that was part of the original Elvesia farm until a major hurricane led to its dissolution in the early 1900's.

Investing in Equipment

The purchase of a new Pinhalense gas-fired drying machine will allow for a more consistent cacao bean drying when wet weather prevents the sun from doing its job.

Harvesting the Mid-Crop

Climate change has begun disrupting the Dominican Republic's smaller "mid-crop;" however, Finca Elvesia's proximity to the Los Haitises rainforest helps mitigate the impact and contributed to a productive mid-crop.

Tough Year For:

Fermenting Cacao

Cold weather at Finca Elvesia's higher altitude made it harder to achieve desired levels of fermentation.

Certifying Organic

The organic certification process in the Dominican Republic has become slow and expensive for cacao farmers.

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*Price based on FOB terms and equal to the negotiated fixed price or to the negotiated premium plus the world market price on the day the contract is closed

**Price the individual farmer receives for their cacao prior to its export. Taza's 2016 Transparency Report, "Let's Talk Price" provides an in-depth exploration of the topic

*** Wages are paid in local currency and are translated into USD, but are not adjusted for purchasing power or a country's cost of living. Where a range is given, wages vary based on type of work and skill and experience level. In all cases, our Partners pay employees at or above their country's minimum wage