cultural
El Deseo Organic Cacao & Fruit Farm
The organic chocolate tasting, obtained by the tourist himself, is possible in the farm "El Deseo", Yaguachi canton, Guayas province. For the last 6 years, agrotourism has represented an important business line of the farm, which receives visitors from Monday to Sunday, with previous reservation. He works with 11 tourism agencies. The entrance to "El Deseo" is located halfway between Virgen de Fátima and Milagro, at the foot of the road (km 5, 8). The experience consists of a tour of the cocoa, banana, avocado, timber and fruit plantations of guava, sapote, orange, grapefruit, lemon and mango. The visit continues through the cocoa collection centre, with an explanation of the fermentation and drying processes. "El Deseo" supports a cocoa production of 2,000 tonnes per year, of which 68% is exported to Switzerland and Germany. Finally, tourists are led to the space of the hut which has all the comforts such as light and seating, where they receive talks and have the opportunity to prepare their own organic chocolate and taste it with a mixture of tropical fruits. The whole journey takes about an hour. There you will also find a delicious lunch consisting of shrimp encocado or dried chicken. Choose breast or thigh. Finca "El Deseo" is affiliated to the Union of Peasant Cocoa Organizations of Ecuador (UNOCASE), which is dedicated to the promotion and marketing of cocoa, bananas and mangoes. The El Deseo enclosure, Yaguachi Viejo parish, where the farm is located, is an area of great agricultural production. Its social structure is based on solidarity, since the enclosure, in the physical and geographical space of the Ecuadorian countryside, is the result of the union and cooperation of small and medium sized family groups dedicated to agriculture. Family farmers' enterprises promote neighbourhood relations for planting and harvesting cocoa, coffee, rice, corn and raising livestock. The result is the farm as a minimum unit. The El Deseo site promotes the "Humitas Route" (wrapped in corn) and the "Cocoa Route", as tourist alternatives and complementary to agro-ecological production.
