Davao Could Be A Key Global Supplier of Cocoa

The Philpress News & Features reported earlier this year that global cocoa buyers have high hopes for the Davao area's cacao producing potential. According to the article:

"Among Asian countries, the Philippines has the smallest production of cacao beans at around 5,000 metric tons of cacao beans last year. Its highest production was in 1980 with 20,000 tons and 1990 with 35,000 tons, declining over the years as farmers abandoned cacao farming for other more profitable crops. "

Asia has a large cocoa processing industry but hardly enough fermented cacao beans to process. Indonesia has the biggest cocoa production at 600,000 tons last year. Papua New Guinea had 50,000 tons and Malaysia had 17,000 tons. India produced 7,000 tons last year and the Philippines produced only 5,000 tons. Vietnam only produced 1,000 tons last year.

Japan, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia all have large cocoa processing centers importing 220,000 metric tons of raw cacao fermented beans last year from the Ivory Coast in West Africa.

Meeting the Philippine goal of producing 100,000 tons of cacao by 2020 will elevate the country, especially its high cacao-producing port city of Davao, to becoming a key global supplier.