Vietnam to host 11th Southeast Asian Cocoa Conference

The 11th Southeast Asian Cocoa Conference will take place in Ho Chi Minh City on June 26-28 to discuss issues relating the growing of cocoa trees.

According to the International Coffee Organisation, demand for cocoa consumption always increases, typically 4 percent per year, however, the supply of cocoa products is dwindling.

Cocoa has been grown in Vietnam for just three years but it is appreciated for its nice taste, quality, cheap price, and potential supply.

Vietnam has an area of over 9,000 ha to plant cocoa trees, and the country exported about 240 tonnes of cocoa in 2007. Cocoa trees are planted mainly in the Mekong Delta and Central Highlands, southern Ben Three province has the largest area with 2,000 ha.

The Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development has developed a project under which it hopes to expand the areas under cocoa trees to 80,000ha by 2020 with an estimated output of 110,000 tonnes and export turnover of US$100-120 million.

VOV

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