Cabarroguis, Quirino —   Quirino Cacao Industry Stakeholders convened to facilitate market-matching of cacao beans with DLA Naturals Incorporated. The said meeting was held on June 13, 2024, at the Q-Life Café, Watersports, Cabarroguis, Quirino.

Cacao, the base and key material to produce chocolate is widely grown in the Province of Quirino, hence, this captures the interest of DLA Naturals Inc., a Belgian-based company, to tap the province as one of their suppliers of cacao beans for their chocolate manufacturing. The company has been exporting to 35 countries, with an existing chocolate processing facility in Subic Special Economic Zone, Subic, Zambales. 

DLA Naturals Inc. offered to buy cacao pods, wet, unfermented, or fermented beans of local cacao growers represented by the Quirino Cacao Industry Council officers. During the meeting, both parties agreed on the quality of beans to be supplied, schedules of bean collection, as well as buying prices.  

The Cacao Stakeholders Meeting was facilitated by the Provincial Government of Quirino – Office of Provincial Agriculturist, spearheaded by Provincial Agriculturist, Ms. Florence Mangoba, in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry R2 – Quirino, led by Provincial Director Mary Ann Corpuz-Dy. 

Attendees during the meeting were cacao industry leaders and enablers, namely:  Department of Agriculture – Quirino Experiment Station (DA-QES), Quirino-Livelihood for Everyone (Q-LiFE) Upland, Municipality of Diffun, Quirino Cacao Council, Cacao Farmers & Associations, and Municipal Cacao Consolidators. 

With this business partnership, it aims to encourage local cacao farmers to adopt best practices on cacao production, harvesting, and post-harvest fermentation, to ensure that the quality standard requirements of buyers are met. It is also another business opportunity to expand the cacao production areas in the province. ♦

Date of release: 06 July 2024

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