Entry: Robert Peck, World Cocoa Foundation
A couple of weeks ago, Mr. Rodolfo Paiz Andrade from the Presidential Commission for Local Development in Guatemala, visited us in the office. It was a very pleasant visit triggered by his interest in learning more about cocoa in other origins and the potential for his country to have a future role in the global market. Currently Guatemala produces an estimated 1,000 tons of cocoa per year; farmers are facing a difficult with monilia which has reduced their production by more than half of their potential. The visit was then followed by a short interview for a program where the authorities in Guatemala are trying to make a case for cocoa, a crop that has been traditionally grown in the country since pre-Columbian times. Our key message during the visit and the interview is that indeed we do think that Guatemala, as well as other countries in Latin America, can have a role in the international market but that it ought to be in producing good quality cocoa. Cocoa is and will continue to be another important source of income for farmers but one should not expect that any of these countries can compete with volumes produced by countries in West Africa or even in Southeast Asia. Countries in this region of the world produce cocoa with fine flavor characteristics, which indeed does have a favorable outlook under current demand for single origin and in dark chocolate products.
Comments (2)
Dear Mr. Peck,
It was interesting and positive to read that the political stablishment in Guatemala is interested in the Cacao sector. We at ASOCIACIÓN NACIONAL DEL KAKAW, ANAKAKAW, a non-profit guatemalan private organization with members from the industry, the artesanal industry,the small producers and the academy, are trying to join forces with the government to implement a national program called The Cacao National Agenda (ANC, in spanish) in which we are proposing 5 key strategies and 10 working programs to turn the crop into a success in the long run and put Guatemala, as you accurately described, in the Fine&Flavor and Origin markets in the process.
Unfortunately, after three years working so successfully with the private sector, the government is yet to jump in and support the ANC.
Happily, with a new government recently elected, this finally will happen. ANC's first steps are already being supported by different government agencies, and that give us hope for Guatemala's chocolate flavor future.
Juan F. Mollinedo
Vice President
Asociación Nacional del Kakaw
ANAKAKAW
Guatemala
Posted by Juan Francisco Mollinedo | April 17, 2008 4:19 PM
Posted on April 17, 2008 16:19
Cocoa Abrabopa Association is a cocoa farmer based organisation with an objective to improve upon the livelyhoods of farmers in Ghana through access to credit of agric inputs(fertilisers,pesticides,fungicides etc),training and education in GAP,Business Skill development and Soil Fertility Management.This is done together with its partners WIENCO(Input Suppliers),Technoserve Ghana,IFDC Ghana and CRIG.
I write in the capacity as the Executive Secretary of the Asssociation and wish to request that you come and see what we have achieved.
We will be very willing to sell our success stories to your institution.
Posted by Eliseus Opoku-Boamah | April 28, 2008 4:42 PM
Posted on April 28, 2008 16:42