ONE of the country's directions to improve the cacao industry is to reduce importation and augment exportation of cacao beans and products.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) National Cacao Industry champion Edwin Bangquerigo, in a press conference during the first day of the Kakao Konek 2016: Asia Pacific Cocoa Conference set September 15 to 17 at SMX Convention Center in Davao City, said that demand in cacao is big but the country lacks supply.
"There is an increase of import mostly on chocolate, we import more than we export," he said.
In 2014, Bangquerigo estimated that cacao products' importation was pegged at P120 million in value and the country's export is only 1/4 of the import value.
The Philippines import from Malaysia and Singapore, among others.
Valente Turtur, the first-ever chair of the newly-formed Philippine Cacao Industry Development Council and executive director of Cacao Industry Development Association in Mindanao, Inc. (Cidami), for his part, said that for the last five years, cacao players here doubled the production but he also noted that demand for the crop also tripled.
The current production volume of cacao in the country is at around 14,000 to 15,000 metric tons (MT) with some 26,000 hectares grown with cacao.
Total volume of the country is contributed largely by Davao Region with some 80 percent.
Bangquerigo said that all boils down to improving production and standardized cacao brand in the country.
According to the harmonized, comprehensive cacao industry roadmap, the cacao industry players target to produce 100,000 metric tons (MT) in volume by 2022.
Zenaida Maglaya, DTI undersecretary for regional operations group, meanwhile, said that strengthening linkages to open up trade and investment opportunities is necessary to make Philippine cacao globally competitive.
"The demand is there, we recognize that the gap is big, we have the potentials, the land. In developing the industry we have to do it right, in an orchestrated manner," Maglaya said.
Jennifer Remoquillo, High Value Crop Program (HVCP) national program coordinator of the Department of Agriculture (DA), said that DA's budget for cacao alone for this year is at P531 million.
The cacao budget for next year is targeted to be at over P800 million. The budget will focus on area of expansion, planting materials, nursery establishment, capacity building, among others.
With the creation of the national council, Turtur said that they will push for the institutionalization of the Cacao Board and lure more investments to achieve the industry's vision.
Dante Muyco, president of Cidami, earlier said that one of the industry’s big challenges is how to achieve “good branding”.
“With the roadmap and creation of the national council, it will be a very good start in promoting the Philippine cacao brand that is of quality and export value,” Muyco said.
In coming with a good brand, Muyco said that they will set up a quality assurance system.
Turtur also said that educating the cacao farmers is a good way in achieving good branding of the Philippine cacao.