2 Dominicans among 50 in Cocoa of Excellence program & International Cocoa Award competition

Two of Dominica's participants in the Cocoa of Excellence Program 2017, Stewart Paris and Dorina Mason, have secured a position in the top 50 participating in this program.
 
According to a release, Dominica was invited by Biodiversity International and Event International, to participate in the Cocoa of Excellence Program 2017 (CoEx), & the International Cocoa Award (ICA) which will be celebrated at Salon de Chocolat in France in October 2017.
 
Dexia served as the National Organizing Committee and collected Five (5) kg samples each of dried cocoa beans, from two (2) farmers, Stewart Paris from Marigot and Dorina Mason from Bataca, and from one (1) estate namely Shillingford Estate at Batallie.
 
Photos of the farmers’ cocoa plots cut bean, as well as opened and unopened pods were taken. The samples were sent via DHL to France on 23rd February 2017.
 
This is the first time that Dominica is participating in such as auspicious competition. One hundred and sixty-six (166) samples were received from 40 countries, and were evaluated after a liquor was produced. The 50 samples selected will each be produced into chocolates, and a further 3-5 samples will be selected by the Technical Panel for the International Cocoa Award. The chocolates produced will be sampled at the Salon de Chocolat Ceremony.