(SunStar) A YEAR after being declared the chocolate and cacao capital of the Philippines, the chocolate and cacao industry of Davao is poised to thrive further in the local and global market, but it will take some hard work and time.

Under Republic Act No. 11547 enacted on May 27, 2021, Davao City is officially the Chocolate Capital of the Philippines with over 100 homegrown chocolate processors in the city, while the entirety of Davao Region is the Cacao Capital of the Philippines with its hectares of cacao farms producing high-quality cacao beans.

Before the Covid-19 outbreak, Davao City produced 6,000 metric tons of cacao beans. In a span of two years, despite the global pandemic, the city was able to produce 7,000 metric tons.

Valente Turtur, executive director of the Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao Inc. (Cidami), said the increase in production is a good sign. However, it is still far from meeting the global demand.

“Malayo pa (It’s still far), we are way behind as far as demand is concerned. Based on our vision, we want to achieve 10,000 metric tons,” Turtur told SunStar Davao on May 27, 2022 at the launching of the Cacao Mindanao Chocolate Fair in SM City Davao.

According to Turtur, cacao plantations thrived in Davao Region in the 1970s but saw a slow decline that started during the late 1980s wherein other commodities, such as banana and coconut, took center stage.