Changes

'''Sambirano is a valley an area in north west the northwest of Madagascar producing cocoa beans famous especially known for a particular brand the production of premium high quality organic Malagasy chocolatecacao, also known as the "green gold" of Sambirano. The name refers to the Sambirano Valley as well as the [[Sambirano River]] which runs from the foothills of the [[Tsaratanana Massif]] into the Ampasindava Bay where it joins with the Ramena River, south of [[Ambanja]].'''

The name also refers to the [[File:Sambirano River which originates at ''Massif du Tsaratanana'' and flows into the Ampasindava Bay, where it joins the Ramena river, at south Ambanja091.jpg|600px]]

Due to the proximity of the Tsaratanana mountain range and trade winds, a particular micro-climate occurs in the Sambirano region. During the rainy season, the river floods and deposits extremely fertile alluvia along its river banks, providing ideal conditions for many types of crops, especially cacao. {| class="imageTable"|-|colspan="3" | [[File:Sambirano 101.jpg|600px]]|-|[[File:Sambirano 102.jpg|196px]]|align="center"|[[File:Sambirano 103.jpg|196px]]|align="right"|[[File:Sambirano 104.jpg|196px]]|} All three varieties of cacao grow throughout the year along the river banks of Sambirano, but with two peak seasons: June/July and October/November. The name river is also refers divided in two parts, the upper Sambirano (upstream) and the lower Sambirano (downstream). <!-- Harvesting between from ... to ... is done along the plain where upstream part and from ... to ... along the downstream part. --> {| class="imageTable"|-|colspan="3" | [[File:Sambirano 086.jpg|600px]]|-|[[File:Sambirano 016.jpg|196px]]|align="center"|[[File:Sambirano 026.jpg|196px]]|align="right"|[[File:Sambirano 084.jpg|196px]]|-|[[File:Ambanja_034.jpg|196px]]|align="center"|[[File:Sambirano_001.jpg|196px]]|align="right"|[[File:Ambanja_035.jpg|196px]]|} Malagasy cacao derives its special characteristics from the unique climate and soil along the river runs towards Sambirano River. The cacao harvest grown in the searegion can contain up to 10% Criollo beans (cacao grown elsewhere typically contain about 5% Criollo). Cacao harvested from Sambirano is especially suited for high quality, which low bitterness dark chocolate and is highly fertile used by premium quality [[Madagascar Chocolate|Malagasy chocolate]] brands such as [[Chocolaterie Robert]], [[Cinagra]] and [[Chocolaterie Colbert]]. Sambirano cacao is also exported by numerous[[chocolate makers using Madagascar cocoa]] in their products. <div style="max-width:600px;">{{#display_map:-13.687854, 48.452454~Sambirano River, where it benefits from runs through '''[[Ambanja]]'''~~;|type=satellite|service=google|width=auto|height=400|zoom=12|controls=pan, zoom, type, scale|copycoords=yes|icon=https://www.madacamp.com/images/madagascar/Green_marker.png}}</div> [[File:Sambirano 033.jpg|600px]] == Additional information == * View all [[Sambirano photos]] * [[Sambirano Cocoa Tour]] - bike tour through the cocoa region (7 nights)* [[Sambirano Trekking Tour]] - trekking tour along the Sambirano River (5 nights)* [http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2017/10/02/excellence-a-winning-formula-for-madagascan-cocoa-production Excellence: A Winning Formula for Madagascan Cocoa Production] - World Bank article, October 2017* [[Issouf - a hot and humid climatecacao farmer in Sambirano, similar Madagascar]] * [[Bean-to -Bar Chocolate made in Madagascar]]* [[Madagascar Chocolate|Madagascar based chocolate producers and brands]]* [[Chocolate makers using Madagascar cocoa|Chocolates produced in other countries using cocoa from Madagascar]]* [http://www.chocablog.com/reviews/sambirano-madagascar-dark-chocolate Chocablog.com review of the eastern part Malagasy Sambirano bar]* [http://www.chocablog.com/reviews/patric-madagascar-sambirano-valley Chocablog.com review of Madgascarthe Patric Chocolate Sambirano bar]* [http://www.madainfo.de/kakao.htm Cocoa and coffee from Madagascar] In German language* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19256838 Madagascar's luxury chocolate thieves strike fear into farmers] BBC article and video, while 10th September 2012.* [http://iosonoqui.vanityfair.it/category/cacao Sul fronte del cacao] - an article about cocoa theft in general, Sambirano ("On the west coast Cacao Front") in Italian edition of Madagascar is drier.Vanity Fair, March 2013