The economy of Toledo relies heavily upon agriculture. Crops grown include beans and corn, as well as rice, which is sold to the Big Falls Rice Mill. Cacao is grown organically and sold via the Toledo Cacao Growers Association to Green & Black's for their renowned Maya Gold chocolate, as well as to chocolatiers within
Belize. The District's ancient and modern-day links with chocolate are celebrated annually in May (
Commonwealth Day Holiday weekend) at the Toledo Cacao Festival. Farmers grow additional crops such as coffee, yams, sweet potato, hot chilli peppers, avocado, oranges and plantain for sale at the market in Punta Gorda, held each Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Fishermen practice small-scale fishing from their dug-out canoes, as well as diving for lobster and conch during the open season. The
Port Honduras Marine Reserve just north of Punta Gorda Town is a protected area, and Toledo's waters are regarded as the permit capital of Belize. Many traditional fishermen have trained as fly-fishing guides through the alternative livelihood projects offered by local conservation groups. Tourism is an important and relatively new industry for Toledo. Once regarded as an area only for the hardy and adventurous, the opening of new tourist accommodations and the development of tours, as well as a growing awareness of the district's high proportion of protected areas, wildlife, birding and the offshore cays, have resulted in Toledo being recognized as an important emerging destination. ==Demographics==