HAVANA, Cuba.- The unusual booming in cocoa beans in recent months grown in the eastern province of Guantanamo favored the harvest this year, allowing a collection of 1 041 tons in the first quarter.

The official daily Granma reported that the production grew 76 percent compared to last year according to Rafaela Diaz Velazquez director of the Management Center in Guantanamo of the Mountain Agriculture Business Group.

There is a large volume of fruit to be picked, work that is highlighted in the city of Baracoa with 916 tons collected meaning an over compliance of 80 percent of the amount originally planed.

Other municipalities that have collected more than planned are Imias, Maisí and San Antonio del Sur.

What is traditional with cocoa is the significant volume collected during May-June, however, several specialist consulted by Granma daily coincide that this year the fruit was rewarded with a good amount of rain on the plantations at the end of 2011.

In addition to the weather factor, fertilization of the harvest applied last year has also contributed and the increase in the price given to the producer of cocoa.