Opportunity to turn Vietnam into a prestigious cocoa producer

Few people know that, Vietnam is currently the best cocoa producer in the world, most of the cocoa is used locally in a vertical linkage model to produce chocolate and cocoa powder. high crushing. These high value-added products are exported to demanding markets around the world such as Japan and Belgium.

Vietnam began to pay more attention to cocoa trees in early 2000 when this plant was brought into cultivation by farmers under the cocoa program of Nong Lam University and the World Cocoa Association. Thanks to favorable soil and climate conditions, experience in developing industrial crops as well as increasing demand for premium cocoa in the world, Vietnam has developed cocoa into a strategic industrial crop. , besides coffee, rubber, pepper and cashew nuts in the period 2000 - 2015.

In 2009, Puratos Grand-Place Company experimented and developed a breakthrough Sustainability Strategy for cocoa sourcing with the name Cacao-Trace in Vietnam. Up to now, this model has been replicated all over the world.

Developing a sustainable cocoa growing model

Over the years, Vietnam has become a cradle for small-scale artisanal chocolate manufacturers with many chocolate products being introduced to serve domestic demand. This is an opportunity for Vietnam to become a mid-tier producer in the cocoa world, but concerted efforts from all parties are needed to achieve this goal.

Growing cocoa requires a lot of time and effort, but the care is extremely suitable with Vietnamese farming practices. There are more than 6 million cocoa growers worldwide today and 90% of cocoa is produced on smallholder farms. Postharvest fermentation and drying of cocoa beans is also carried out at the individual farm level. The lack of linkage in the production chain is a bottleneck in ensuring product quality, transparency as well as product taste.

The Cocoa-Trace model can help Vietnam unlock its cocoa potential. Just like how soil and climate factors contribute to the specific flavor of each wine, the soil and climate conditions in Vietnam also help foster a richer and unique cocoa flavor. . Vietnamese cocoa products produced according to this model were internationally recognized with the excellent cocoa award and the certificate of excellent taste in 2015.

While Vietnamese cocoa has the potential for enormous diversification in agricultural production, the vertical linkage model creates high value-added products such as chocolate, investment Cocoa production in the localities is slowing down as farmers shift cultivation to "trending" crops such as durian, melon, pepper...

The future of Vietnam's cocoa industry will depend on three key factors: pods, farmers and forests. For Vietnam to reverse this situation, support from the public and private sector is needed to enhance information sharing at all levels from national to local, helping farmers to access technical consultations. techniques, good production materials and pest management solutions. With the current unpredictable weather situation, what we need more than ever is a resilient farming model.

It is observed that many farmers depend entirely on chemical inputs, which is not only costly but also leads to ecological imbalance, the most obvious example being the rapid disappearance of pollinators. With agroforestry models for cocoa, we can regenerate and stabilize the ecosystem such as enhancing the population of soil organisms, helping to accelerate the nitrification process, which is an important factor. during cocoa pods development.

The intercropping of cocoa with fruit trees, woody plants, cashew trees or vanilla is typical agroforestry models with high added value besides the development of circular agriculture and other methods. regenerative.

Regenerative agroforestry models can create a favorable environment for cocoa to grow solely through natural defenses. This also reduces dependence on chemical inputs, improving soil health. This approach can also be assessed by a measure of carbon sequestration.

The majority of global emissions come from agricultural production. But for tall trees, we can turn production from a carbon emitter into a carbon sink.

We can monetize the carbon sequestration of crops, conserve forests and promote soil health through carbon certification in the voluntary carbon market and then commercialized in the said market. shared. Revenue from carbon credits in the future will become a major source of finance to support cocoa plantations in reforestation, afforestation and agroforestry programs…

This is a special opportunity for the world to know that Vietnam is not only a producer of premium cocoa but also a sustainable cocoa production method.

Creating chocolate culture in Vietnam

The Vietnamese chocolate market is still quite young. Nowadays, one can find imported chocolate confectionery brands that claim to be premium products. Some popular chocolate products are manufactured from many ingredients such as cocoa powder, vegetable fats, etc., and alternative materials to reduce production costs. The presence of chocolate in Vietnamese life is not as widespread as in Western countries.

However, things will change in the coming years, bringing positive signals for the cocoa industry. Many new brands will bloom and develop according to people's needs and preferences.

Cocoa project has the mission of creating chocolate culture for Vietnam. Like the shared culture of enjoying coffee or beer in Vietnam, the Cocoa Project wants to bring chocolate into the everyday moments of Vietnamese people, where it started as the first store in the retail chain. in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City. The brand is built on a sense of raising general awareness of the importance of producing good quality chocolate products that are also sustainable, respecting the participation of farmers and all stakeholders. part of the production chain, so the project always carries the slogan “Chocolate for everyone”.

Besides, Cocoa Project is developing chocolate products suitable to the taste as well as leaving an unforgettable mark in the memory of Vietnamese people. Locally sourced ingredients from Vietnam are preferred. The main ingredient is chocolate from Cocoa-Trace, thanks to a fermentation process that ensures chocolate quality.

With the good properties of cocoa such as delicious taste, ideal value chain, Vietnam has the opportunity to rise to become a country with the strength of cocoa and change the situation of the local cocoa industry. This goal requires a combination of farm service models that bring value across the supply chain, from farm to consumer. This is a journey where the right mindsets come together to reap the rewards.

Source: nongnghiep.vn