The Netherlands has pledged to provide Viet Nam with financial and technical support to help the Viet Nam cocoa industry ensure its sustainable development.
Pursuant to a memorandum of understanding inked between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Netherlands’ Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Viet Nam must designate an area to supply raw material for the industry and quickly build up the necessary labour force.
The deal was signed at a two-day seminar that ended late last week in HCM City.
As a result of the agreement, Viet Nam aims to emerge as a reliable global supplier of cocoa beans, particularly in Asia where supply falls far below demand, MARD affirmed during the seminar.
The ministry has set a long-term target for an eight-fold expansion in the cultivation of cocoa. The intent is to increase the current 10,000ha of cocoa growing area to 80,000ha by 2020. Upon achievement of the goal, the production yield will be 100,000 tonnes of cocoa beans annually.
The cacao industry has enjoyed significant growth over the past five years, with a twenty-fold increase in crop acreage during that time. Total acreage is up from 500ha in 2003 to almost 10,000ha at present, according to MARD officials.
This figure is expected to increase to 60,000ha by 2015 before reaching the government’s target of 80,000ha by 2020.
Currently cocoa production provides income to approximately 20,000 farmers and their families.
Tong Khiem, chairman of the Cacao Development Committee, says Viet Nam exports about 240 tonnes of dried cocoa seed every year.
Many foreign companies, including ACDI/VOCA, Cargill and Emmand, have claimed that the quality of the country’s cocoa is equal to that from Ghana, one of Africa’s leading cocoa producers and exporters.
C.L (According to VNS)
- Last Updated : Thursday 11/13/2008 09:11(GMT+7) | 
