Group aims to increase cacao production

CEBU, Philippines - The Mars Cocoa Development Center (MCDC) will convert a 2.4 million hectares of coconut land  into coconut-cacao plantation in order  to increase its cacao supply to as much as 100,000 metric tons.

“Our vision is to produce 100,000 tons (cacao beans) by 2020. This is Mars’ challenge to us from our current production of 5,000-8,000 tons,” said Peter V. Cruz, chief of MCDC, an organization spearheaded by global American chocolate producer Mars.

“We have 2.4 million hectares of coconut land that have no intercrop, excluding uplands. You need only 100,000 at (a yield of) 1,000 kilos per hectare to achieve that goal,” said Cruz in a statement.

A coconut-cacao intercropping requires P50,000 per hectare. Land Bank of the Philippines, Development Bank of the Philippines, and the Peace and Equity Foundation are extending loan for the program.

Another international organization, the Kennermer Foods International (KFI)  partners with MCDC in the development of the cacao value chain in the Philippines. KFI exports cacao beans to Mars, and other chocolate producers in Netherlands and Singapore.

“We’re the biggest buyer in Davao for cacao,” according to KFI President Simon Bakker. “We’re in the Philippines because the climate is good, and there’s untapped potential.

Cacao is a TLC crop, not like sugarcane which you just leave behind. The key is the quality of the beans. The beans need to be fermented and dried well,” said Bakker.

KFI has a contract growing scheme with farmers’ cooperatives on about 1,500 hectares mainly in Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, and Compostela Valley. 

It is working on contract growing on an additional 1,500 hectares also in Mindanao.

“Cacao is a smallholder crop and needs just less than a hectare. It doesn’t have to be a huge plantation. It’s a very good crop for contract growing. One guy, one family can grow it well,” said Bakker. —  (FREEMAN)