DA to push for improved local cacao production

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The Department of Agriculture (DA) will pursue programs intended to revitalize the local cacao industry through the High Value Crops and Development Program and other operating units.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement “some of the cacao trees are now being cut because farmers are not making much money from cacao since they do not really know how to process it after harvesting.”

Tiu Laurel said the DA will include as one of its thrusts the revival of the cacao industry to aid the 74,428 Filipino cacao farmers as of March 6 data of the DA-Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture.

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Among initiatives to be pushed are the provision of cacao planting materials and farm inputs, conduct of capacity-building initiatives for cacao farmers and extension workers, establishment of cacao technology demonstration sites, distribution of farm machineries and equipment and construction of irrigation facilities.

Tiu Laurel added Israeli technology on integrated pest management techniques, drip irrigation facilities, weather monitoring system, cacao breeding, grafting initiatives and composting practices will also be considered.

Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the country produced a total of 10,759.12 metric tons (MT) of cacao last year, up by 2.9 percent from 2022’s 10,446.07 MT.

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