THE country’s cacao industry is eyeing to tap tourism establishments such as hotels, resorts and restaurants in the promotion of local cacao.
“That is really our dream, that all hotels restaurants and cafès all over the Philippines will no longer serve just the imported cacao powder but serve our own tablea,” said Consul Armi Lopez-Garcia, president of the Philippine Cacao Industry Association (PCIA) and chairperson of the multi-sectoral Philippine Cacao Industry Council (PCIC) during the 2024 National Cacao Congress on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
Garcia said this approach would help the Philippine brand of cacao and chocolates be known globally as foreign guests explore the country and learn from its culture. It would also raise awareness of the potential of cacao as a high-value crop among Filipino consumers, thus attracting them to grow cacao and patronize local produce.
“As we explore effective strategies, we aspire for our cacao products to become the centerpiece of the global cacao industry and to establish a distinct Philippine brand,” she said.
In addition to targeting the local food and beverage sector as key customers of the industry, Garcia urged cacao farm growers to enhance the traceability of their supply chain, emphasizing that it is a market demand.
She said that traceability enhances market access for producers, as consumers and businesses increasingly demand transparency and traceability in the products they purchase.
“The demand of the market is traceability-from farm to the factory-especially since cacao is supposed to be healthy,” Garcia said.
High-quality cacao
Anchored on the theme, “Marketing Philippine Cacao and Chocolates,” Garcia said this year’s Cacao Congress focuses on increasing the production of quality fermented cacao beans to elevate the Philippine cacao industry on the international stage.
“With the growing demand for high-quality cacao, we aim to showcase our unique flavors locally and globally,” said Garcia.
Early this year, the consul said the country lacks an average of 10 metric tons of fermented cacao beans, a high-value crop, to meet demand nationwide.
Citing the Philippine Cacao Industry Council roadmap for 2021-2025, Garcia said the goal is to make each cacao tree produce at least two kilograms of fermented beans a year.
However, she said interventions have been in place to grow the industry and empower cacao growers to expand their production.
Last Monday, July 29, the PCIA and PCIC mounted free workshops dubbed The “Chocolate Making Workshop,” and “The Future of Cacao: Regenerative Agriculture Workshop,” which highlighted industry experts and eligible speakers to interact and demonstrate the processes of cacao-making and allowed the participants to immerse themselves in the cacao production and fermentation.
On the same day, the PCIA, PCIC, Department of Tourism and Pastry Alliance of the Philippines also launched the “Philippine Flavored Tablea Competition 2024,” a competition that features different types and flavored local tablea which garnered 30 entries all over the Philippines.
Moreover, to bolster the cacao industry, the group also partnered with the Philippine Coconut Authority to implement coconut and cacao intercropping.
“By increasing the demand for cacao beans, it supports Filipino farmers and stimulates economic growth in cacao-producing regions,” the consul said.
The Cacao Congress gathered key stakeholders including government officials, state universities and colleges, cacao farmers and industry experts to deliberate and address crucial challenges and opportunities in marketing facing the Philippine cacao sector.
The event featured 65 exhibitors displaying the latest and most delicious chocolate products from across the Philippines.
Production
Latest available data from the Philippine Statistics Authority from April 2023 to June 2023, showed that cacao (dried beans with pulp) production improved to 2.35 thousand metric tons or 4.1 percent from 2.26 thousand metric tons recorded output in the same quarter of 2022.
Davao Region remained the top producer of cacao with 1.67 thousand metric tons or 71.2 percent share of the country’s total cacao production during the period.
From January to June 2023, the area planted with cacao was estimated at 32.24 thousand hectares. This registers an increase of 1.5 percent from 31.75 thousand hectares of area planted in the same period of 2022. / KOC