The Economics of Cacao Production in Kona

Abstract

This study uses an interactive spreadsheet model to estimate the economic costs and returns for producing cacao in Kona, Hawaii, using price and production data typical for a 1-acre, mature cacao orchard. The primary purpose of the analysis is to enable Hawaii's cacao growers and processors to determine a price for wet cacao beans that will be fair to both, allowing both enterprises to be profitable in the long run. The document provides a link to a downloadable Excel spreadsheet.