Chocolate production in Brazil, the world’s fifth largest market for the product, rose 11.43% in the first half of 2022 compared to the same period last year, industry group Abicap said on Thursday.

The industry of the largest economy in Latin America produced 370,000 tons of chocolate from January to June, compared to 223,000 tons in the first half of 2021, said Abicap, who bases his information on data collected by the consulting firm KPMG.

Abicap president Ubiracy Fonseca said the numbers confirm a recovery in the industry following the coronavirus pandemic, adding that product line diversification has helped companies increase sales.

The AIPC, another industry group representing processors , estimates that Brazilian cocoa grindings rose 8.4% in August, to 19,693 tons.