KUCHING, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities is targeting the cocoa replanting project to reach 1,000 hectares (ha) by 2023 to increase the country’s cocoa output.
Its deputy minister, Datuk Willie Mongin said since the project started, 700 hectares had been replanted with cocoa, of which 150 ha were in Sarawak, 350 ha in Sabah and 200 ha in the peninsula.
“If the project is successful, definitely the cocoa replanting prospects will be better in future.
“With the progress made by the Cocoa Development Board, a lot of technology and also pesticides will assist the farmers in preventing or combating as the cocoa plant diseases with good planting and maintenance practices as well, thus providing good returns for the farmers.”
He told this to the media after officially closing the Sarawak Super Cocoa Training Course, here, today.
Willie said the cocoa farmers and producers were also encouraged to be involved in the downstream sector such as producing cocoa powder and chocolate blocks that were viewed to be lucrative.
“But we must ensure that both sides will benefit. Otherwise, focusing only on the downstream sector and not on the upstream as well, we will not have the raw material. The downstream and upstream sectors need each other,” he added.
-- BERNAMA
BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; www.bernama.com; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies.
Follow us on social media :
Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio
Twitter : @bernama.com, @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio
Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial
TikTok : @bernamaofficial
