Bright prospects for Philippine cocoa industry

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s vibrant cocoa industry takes center stage as the Cocoa Foundation of the Philippines (Cocoaphil) and ACDI/VOCA hold the Philippine Cacao Summit on Aug. 28 at the SM Megatrade Hall in Mandaluyong City.

According to Cocoaphil president Edward David, cocoa is undergoing resurgence, due largely to the Success Alliance Philippines Phase II program funded by the US Department of Agriculture and implemented by ACDI/VOCA and Cocoaphil.

With guests of honor US Ambassador Kristie Kenney and Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, the event will discuss ways of strengthening the industry and meeting global demands.

There is vast potential for the expansion of cocoa, with more than two million hectares of coconut lands highly suited to inter-planting with cocoa. The global demand for cocoa beans grows at about 90,000 tons annually, and Southeast Asia would need an additional 220,000 tons.

The USDA-funded Success Alliance Phase II Program was launched in 2006 and has trained 150 trainers and 15,000 smallholder farmers in cocoa production, post-harvest processing, pest and disease management, and marketing through the farmer field school methodology and participatory extension methods.

ACDI-VOCA Chief of Party Nic Richards said that cocoa is highly-suited to intercropping and mixed farming systems in the Philippines, noting that the price of cocoa has doubled over the last 18 months.

“The Philippines is well placed as future supplier of quality cocoa beans for local, regional and international trade markets. Some 100,000 hectares of cocoa producing 100,000 tons of cocoa by 2015, valued at $300 million can be attained, and would position cocoa as one of the country’s top three agricultural products,” he concluded.

Cocoaphil is the umbrella organization promoting integrated and sustained development of the cocoa industry by leveraging resources and providing services and assistance in continuing education, technology promotion and industry data.