By Joselina Rodríguez
Photos: Liliana Elías
It is said that loving what you do makes the world move and, it is precisely this emotional impulse what is bringing quite interesting results in South Lake, Venezuela, blessed place where Criollo cocoa was born and where nowadays it converges various characters committed to continue extoling the majestic Venezuelan seed. One of these visionaries is Nelio Rincón Martínez, a young man of 70 years of age who was very audacious to give rein to his new dream, despite the age: cultivating cocoa.
Since then he made himself a cocoa producer in Merida state, after having acquired a 100 hectares farm named “Barquisí”, surrounded by idyllic landscapes typical of the Andean region. His first steps were as a cattle producer, a path that was diverted 10 years ago, when he was seduced by the passion for the precious crop, leading him to plant cocoa in his 100 hectares.
“My insertion in the cocoa world started out of curiosity. I began to observing the potential and reputation that this seed had in South Lake, then I realized it was a generous crop and subsequently I confirmed that it was profitable thanks to its good market price. Hence, I decided to immerse myself in the wonderful cocoa world” he explains.
Unlimited
Martínez, who defines himself as a cocoa and chocolate lover, points out that beyond being an ordinary cocoa producer, he wants to become an entrepreneur. He says that it is “now” the exact moment to enter into this world which has given him so many personal and economical satisfactions.
“Age is not a limitation to undertaking in the cocoa world. Whether you are young or not, it is never too late to start sowing, harvesting, drying and selling cocoa, because it is so thrilling to see each plant growing, watering it, taking care of it and collecting its fruits later on. That fills you with satisfaction and encourages you to want to do more for the seed” he says
More than sowing, this Venezuelan producer visualises himself selling his cocoa in both national and international markets, after the effort, constancy and dedication that he has spent in each plant, so that it continues to appear as the best in the world. His family’s support has been fundamental to crystallise this dream.
A magic connection
For the past 10 years cocoa has taken an important place in Nelio Rincón’s life. He gets up very early every morning to “converse” with his plants, in order to find out their needs.
“You cannot endeavour to a world you do not know. That’s why every day I talk with my little plants, to know how they are, what they need, if they need water or fertilizers, since thanks to those little cuddles you give them, it depends their growth and productivity. We should realize that cocoa is a crop for life, it is eternal, it lasts 100 years and we must love it like we love our child” he says.
For this cocoa producer with a youthful spirit, this fruit is much better than oil because it generates a sense of belonging, workforce, improves climate change and provides economic income to those who work in the area. That is why he invites all those who want to change their lives to invest in cocoa and fall in love as he did, regardless of age, sex, experience or religion. It only needs love, caring for the soil, eagerness for the work done, constancy in the daily work and patience to wait for the fruits to be collected. This is the key to success for any entrepreneur in the cocoa world.
