KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia hopes to be the chocolate king in the Asian region by 2020, said Malaysia Cocoa Board (MCB) director-general Dr Lee Choon Hui.
He said with the expertise that Malaysia had and the country’s advance in research and development (R&D), especially in the production of cocoa and cocoa products as well as cooperation from the private sector, this aspiration could materialise.
“As you are aware Malaysia is very well ahead in R&D. You realise that Malaysia is now exporting more products rather than raw materials, in fact as of 2013, we are the leader in Asia and Oceania region (in cocoa products production).
“Actually Malaysia’s hope is to be the chocolate king of Asia.
That means all chocolate products would be exported out of Malaysia and Malaysia will continue to undertake innovation and product development,” he said.
He told reporters this at the Seventh Meeting of the National Focal Point for the Asean Cocoa Club (ACC) on Asean Cooperation and Joint Approaches in Agriculture and Forest Products Promotion Scheme here yesterday.
He said at the moment Malaysia is trying its best to overcome some problems to achieve the mission.
On the MCB’s efforts to encourage cocoa production in the country, Lee said the government offered incentives to farmers especially the smallholders in rural areas who are interested in planting cocoa.
He said for a start, the farmer would be provided with training and agriculture inputs such as seedlings, fertilisers and other facilities valued at RM8,000.
He said the government would support the farmers until they managed to be independent in five years. — Bernama