Malaysian Cocoa Board hopes to revive cocoa plantation industry

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CAN’T WAIT: Naroden (left) watching as a participant demonstrates how chocolate treats can be made at home.

KUCHING: The Malaysian Cocoa Board hopes to revive the cocoa plantation industry to meet the demand for locally produced chocolate.

Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Bumiputera Entrepreneur Development) Datuk Naroden Majais said there is a demand for Malaysian-made chocolate, especially from Indonesia.

However, the country does not produce enough of its own cocoa, making it necessary to procure them from Indonesia.

“The cost ends up being higher. We can solve this if local farmers are willing to revive their cocoa farms,” Naroden told reporters after officiating at the ‘Homemade Chocolate’ course at Wisma Bapa Malaysia recently.

Cocoa fell out of popularity because the market was small and processing the raw fruits was a complicated matter. Oil palm took over as the preferred crop. But things have changed.

Malaysian Cocoa Board Sarawak biology research officer Aizat Zapar said that the board will be introducing five new cocoa clones (one from Sarawak) in the Cocoa Conference in Sunway Pyramid next month. These new clones will cut one year off the waiting time for the first harvest.

Malaysia produces 8,000 metric tonne of cocoa beans a year, but the board is optimistic about bringing the figure up to 40,000 after the new clones are introduced, Aizat added.

Malaysian Cocoa Board economic affairs officer Abdul Karim Che Hamid revealed that their Research and Development Centre in Samarahan is already producing chocolate blocks for food operators such as chocolate makers and ‘kek lapis’ entrepreneurs.

Held at the Wisma Bapa Malaysia cafeteria, 25 participants took part in the two-day course under trainers from Malaysian Cocoa Board.