Few sweets are as universally loved as chocolate. And industry analysts say the demand, especially in emerging markets in Asia, is rising fast. That's great news for cocoa-producing nations in South America. CGTN's Paulo Cabral went to northern Brazil to learn more about chocolate culture.

This is where chocolate begins on cacao trees. On this plantation in the state of Para - in the Brazilian Amazon - it's time for harvest. It's an all-manual operation, from picking the fruits and cutting them one by one; to extracting the pulp and - above all - the seeds - from which chocolate is ultimately made. This farm has 50-thousand producing trees with a yearly output of almost one hundred metric tons of cocoa beans.

ROBSON BROGNI COCOA FARM MANAGER, SITIO ASCURRA "There is always a market for cocoa. Sometimes not at its best price, but if you have a bag of cocoa you can certainly sell it anytime. And it can be stocked also - you don't have to sell it right after harvest - so it's also possible to wait for a better price, if that's the case. Our next task here in our region is to invest in more quality and better varieties to make fine chocolates."

Cacao seeds are sundried for a few days and turned periodically for an even process that renders them into cocoa beans. They are then laid to rest in covered storage before being packed and shipped for final processing. Most go to chocolate factories but other customers include businesses in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.

PAULO CABRAL MEDICILANDIA, BRAZIL "Demand for chocolate has been growing worldwide and is expected to continue on this path over the coming years. Brazilian producers are hoping and preparing to reap the benefits of this trend and have been looking to China as one of their most promising markets."

Here in the experimental plantation and laboratories of the government's Executive Committee for Cocoa Culture - CEPLAC - newtechniques are studied to increase yields and the quality of the country's cocoa output. The state of Para - home to this center - has recently become Brazil's main producer of cocoa.

FERNANDO MENDES HEAD OF RESEARCH, CEPLAC "The world cocoa market has been growing a lot. World chocolate processors say in the next 5 years there will be an additional demand for one million metric tons of cocoa beans and they don't know where it will come from."

Adding value to production is another challenge. A group of growers in the Par region created a cooperative to develop their own brand of chocolate. Cacauway is still a relatively small operation but they have already opened 8 shops in 3 Brazilian states- profiting the cocoa growers who joined the venture early on.

JORGE KAWAI PRESIDENT, CACAUWAY COOPERATIVE "We have been trying to show producers that joining forces, for example, in a cooperative is the best way to improve our production."

Cocoa producers here in Para trust in the power of people's sweet tooth -- and hope their love for chocolate will bring profits and development to this region for years to come. Paulo Cabral, CGTN, Medicilandia, Brazil.