Ramble Hj. Kasin, president of the ASEAN Cocoa Club, gives a speech at the event. — VNA/VNS Photo Đoàn Mạnh Dương

BÀ RỊA - VŨNG TÀU — The members of the ASEAN Cocoa Club (ACC) are working together to improve the quality of  and reduce pesticide residue, Ramble Hj. Kasin, president of the club, said at a four-day meeting that opened on Wednesday in Vũng Tàu city of the southern coastal province of Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu.

The 24th meeting of the National Focal Point for the ASEAN Cocoa Club (ACC) on ASEAN Cooperation and Joint Approaches in Agriculture and Forest Products Promotion Scheme was co-hosted by Việt Nam's National Agricultural Extension Centre (NAEC) and Department of International Cooperation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Việt Nam Competition Council (VCC) in collaboration with departments of agriculture and rural development of Đồng Nai and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu provinces.

Taking place from October 8 to 11, the event aims to provide information on technical advancements in cocoa production and discuss solutions to improve cocoa quality and ensure food safety and hygiene in the industry.

Ramble Hj. Kasin said Việt Nam has advantages in cocoa development and its cocoa area is expanding.

The country has begun establishing a sustainable linkage chain in the cocoa sector between producers and the market, providing cocoa beans and powder to regional markets in service of intensive processing, he said.

The 24th meeting of the National Focal Point for the ASEAN Cocoa Club (ACC) on ASEAN Cooperation and Joint Approaches in Agriculture and Forest Products Promotion Scheme opened on Wednesday in Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Đoàn Mạnh Dương

Tô Việt Châu, deputy head of the Department of International Cooperation, said that, established in July 1996, the ACC has worked toward strengthening and enhancing Intra-ASEAN trade on cocoa and cocoa products, among other crops and commodities.

These initiatives, which are in line with the objectives of the ASEAN Cooperation and Joint Approaches in Agriculture and Forest Products Promotion Scheme, have sought to strengthen the bargaining position of ASEAN in the world market on matters affecting agriculture and forest products, and upgrade and expand the export of these sectors’ produce through product diversification.

This meeting shows ASEAN Member States' commitment, including Việt Nam, to continue implementing ACC’s objectives and play an active role in improving cocoa quality and production, cocoa and cocoa products, Intra-ASEAN trade and sustainable cocoa sector development in Việt Nam and the ASEAN region.

“By the end of the meeting, we could come up with more effective and implementable activities to further promote ASEAN cocoa and cocoa products in the world," he said.

All delegates will have an effective and fruitful discussion to further enhance collaborative efforts in strengthening and enhancing long term the competitiveness of ASEAN cocoa and cocoa products in the international market, he said.

He said world cocoa production and quality are still low compared to previous periods.

“In some cocoa-producing countries, environmental business is one of main reasons for that, including backward infrastructure conditions in cocoa planting areas, increasing labour cost for cocoa production, limited supported policies from authorities, and a shortage of tariffs from government,” he said.

Old cultivation techniques and unstable world cocoa prices are also problems, he added.

Cocoa products displayed at the event. — VNA/VNS Photo Đoàn Mạnh Dương

Lê Quốc Thanh, director of NAEC, said this event helps to reposition Việt Nam’s cocoa production in the global cocoa market.

“Currently, Việt Nam is determined that all agricultural products, especially cocoa, require forming a close links between growers, enterprises and product branding,” he said.

To promote cocoa production in a sustainable way, it is necessary to define the position of the cocoa industry in terms of planning, farming land and cultivation processes.

During the four-day event, the delegates will review previous meetings, and seek ways to address tariff and non-tariff barriers and unfair trade practices imposed by importers, enhance trade in and outside the bloc, and raise the long-term competitiveness of ASEAN cocoa products.

Sustainable cocoa production models and cocoa-growing regions in Việt Nam will also be introduced and promoted at this event. — VNS