Two Japanese chocolate factories to rise in Davao del Norte
How sweet it is for the Crown Jewel of Mindanao.
A Japanese company has expressed interest in building not one, but two chocolate factories in Davao del Norte in 2018. The good news was announced by Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao Inc. (Cidami) Executive Director Val Turtur.
Negotiations are currently taking place between Cidami and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The company is eyeing Panabo and Tagum as locations for the factories, bolstering the plan to establish the area as a special economic zone.
“In our conversation with the owner of the Japanese company, they have decided to build factories here in the region as it costs a lot to extract and process the raw chocolates here and then ship it to Japan,” Turtur said.
“This will also increase job opportunities and increase the demand for our cacao beans,” he added.
“The cacao farmers, who will supply cacao beans for the factories, will be sourced among the ten cacao farmers cooperatives that are currently under Cidami. Most of these cooperatives are situated in Paquibato District and Calinan, Davao City,” reports Bomie Lane S. Castillo.
Davao has a 26,000-hectare land area for cacao, with 16,000 hectares currently in full production.
Turtor also hinted that the Department of Agriculture (DA) is “assessing the probability to expand cacao production in Samar, Leyte” which experts have detected to have land suitable for growing cacao.
The chocolates produced in the Davao factories will be primarily targeted to European and North American markets.
via SunStar / Bomie Lane S. Castillo
