Collection centres to boost cocoa output

SEPANGGAR: The Malaysian Cocoa Board wants the country's cocoa industry to be transformed and is looking into ways that can help boost local capacity geared to increase cocoa production.

Its chairman, Datuk Dr Marcus Makin Mojigoh told reporters during a press conference after attending a brainstorming event to transform the country's cocoa industry at the Nexus Resort and Spa Karambunai yesterday that among the ideas that were put forward by members of the board to bring about the positive transformation was the setting up of collection centres that wouldl buy the cocoa produce of smallholders.

He believed that the establishment of the collection centres would encourage more people to embark into cocoa farming / planting.

"What occurred in the past was we did not have any collection centre to buy the cocoa fruits from our planters. With the centres in place, it will be easier for them to sell their produce," he said.

He added that the establishment of the collection centres would also eradicate the need for middlemen and this alone would guarantee the planters a good price for their harvests. The market price for cocoa yesterday was RM9.30 or RM8,900 per ton.

Dr Marcus said that the collection centres would also be established in Sabah to help boost cocoa production. Sabah is currently the country's main cocoa producer while Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia are the second and third producers, respectively.

In Sabah, cocoa is produced in Tawau, Tenom, Ranau and Kudat.

"Neverthelesss, the cocoa export from Sabah was still very low at merely 1,137 tonnes last year," he said adding that

Sabah's cocoa export destinations included the United States of America (USA), Europe, China, Japan and Taiwan.

"We produce one of the best cocoas in the world and our chocolates have already won five internationally renowned awards...the Spicy chocolate from Serian, Sarawak; the Fruitty chocolate; and Butter chocolate from Ranau had already won awards," he said.

So far, only 17,243 hectares of land are planted with cocoa in the country, of which 6,847 hectares are in Sabah while the remaining are in Sarawak (6,920 hectares) and Peninsular Malaysia (3,476 hectares).

A total of 5,621 farmers are involved in the planting of cocoa in Sabah, while in Sarawak 6,051 farmers and 3,373 farmers in Peninsular Malaysia.