THE Davao chocolate industry has been identified as a huge contributor to the economic development of Davao city, a business chamber official said.

“The cacao industry still did not reach 10 years yet but the beauty is that we already progressed from learning how to plant to already making downstream products,” Davao City Chamber and Industry Incorporated (DCCCII) vice president John Carlo B. Tria said during the Habi at Kape media forum at Abreeza Malls, Davao City.

Tria added that the cacao industry has created diversification for cacao farmers in the plantations in Davao region in such a short span.

Cacao Industry Development Association in Mindanao Incorporated (Cidami) executive director Val Turtur said cacao farmers in the region are also becoming more adept in meeting the demand of the chocolate industry.

“Dati grading lang ang training sa mga chocolate ang ginabuhat karun apil na sa flavoring kay lahi-lahi man na (Before the trainings which were conducted were only on grading chocolates, but now it includes flavoring since there are a lot of flavor variations),” Turtur said.

He also said in the upcoming Chocolate Festival during the Davao Agri-Trade Expo (Date) on September 22, 2018 at SM Lanang Premier, more chocolate farmers will be encouraged to innovate and learn from different chocolate farmers and enthusiasts.

Philippine Statistics Authority records show that in 2017, Mindanao produced a total of 6,362.92 metric tons (MT) of cacao.

Out of that number, Davao region contributes the bulk of the cacao production amounting to 5,752 MT.