ROXAS City – Capiz needs more people who want to make cacao planting an established local industry.
Capiz Cacao Development Council (CCDC) vice chairwoman Dr. Rose Marie Conlu said this during a recent fellowship activity of the Provincial Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Council in this capital city.
“In order to make this into an industry, we need around 250,000 cacao trees,” Conlu stressed.
She added that about 34,000 of the estimated 124,000 cacao trees in the province are already bearing fruits.
Cacao buying stations have already been established in Capiz.
“A price per kilogram of wet and dry cacao seeds averages at P30.00 and P40.00, respectively,” said Capiz Small Coconut Farmers Marketing Cooperative (CASCOFAMCO) secretary Jovelyn Nobleta.
The cooperative – based in Barangay Ondoy in Ivisan town – is among the 12 cacao buying stations established by Villa Maria Farm and Orchard based in Pontevedra town.
The cacao seeds can be processed into cacao–based “tablea,” or chocolate tablets, and other cacao beans by-products that can be used for beauty, health and wellness. (With a report from PIA/PN)
