TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR IMPROVING COCOA PRODUCTION – CASE STUDY IN NOVO REPARTIMENTO – PA, BRAZIL

ABSTRACT Cocoa production significantly contributes to Brazil's economy, as the country is the seventh largest cocoa producer in the world. A substantial portion of Brazil's cocoa production comes from family farming, where cocoa bean processing relies on artisanal methods and manual labor. Therefore, there is a need to enhance technology in cocoa bean production, seeking even incremental innovations to increase productivity. This article presents a technical and economic feasibility study for implementing a new management system in the cocoa bean fermentation process on a farm in Novo Repartimento, Pará State (Brazil). The study aims to increase bean production for further processing, suggesting that these changes will improve productivity, reduce costs, and ultimately achieve greater profitability.