Cutting Down Cacao Trees Explanation At first glance, cutting down a fruiting cacao tree might seem wasteful—even harmful. After all, cacao trees take 5 to 7 years to mature and start producing pods. So why would farmers cut them instead of protecting them? The answer lies in a farming technique called side grafting. Instead of waiting years for a new tree to grow, farmers attach a branch from a high-quality cacao variety to a strong, mature tree. This allows the tree to produce better-quality c