Brazilian cacao farmers expand production without clearing Amazon rainforest

Brazilian cacao farmers are expanding their crop by planting on previously cleared land rather than cutting down native rainforest. Mongabay reported that a new study by Embrapa, the state-run agricultural research agency in Brazil, tracked the growth of cacao onto land cleared years ago. The agency found that the area dedicated to cacao in Pará, the top-producing state in the country, grew by a third between 2022 and 2024 to reach 116,436 hectares. [1]

The study revealed that almost all new cacao crops are located on old pastures and degraded land. Mongabay reported that 96 percent of the cacao mapped in Pará and 98 percent of the cacao in Rondônia state was planted on land deforested prior to 2020. This practice complies with European Union environmental regulations. [1]

Agriculture is one of the main foundations of the Brazilian economy. Brazil is a major global producer and exporter of cocoa, as well as coffee, soybeans, and other agricultural commodities. As HEROIC BREAKING NEWS reported earlier, overall forest clearing in the Brazilian Amazon dropped to record low levels, falling to 3,335 square kilometers in the period ending July 2026. Brazil contains approximately 60 percent of the Amazon rainforest. [6][8][9]

The sustainable expansion in Brazil contrasts with practices in West Africa, where farmers have cleared native rainforest to plant cocoa due to high market prices. By reusing previously degraded land, Brazilian farmers are restoring existing fields while preserving standing tropical forests. [1]