TT cocoa can grow

TRADE Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon said the local cocoa and chocolate sectors have recently enjoyed much growth, but TT is still in its early strides, addressing the launch of the World Cocoa and Chocolate Day Expo and Inbound Trade Mission at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain on Thursday.

“This industry can, and will in fact grow,” she said. “According to the CSO, $9.8 million in cocoa bean export was recorded in 2018, with exports of chocolate products totalling way more, $73.5 million.”

Not only did these figures exceed those for past years, but the figures also showed export of refined products exceeding raw products, a reversal of past years, Gopee-Scoon said. “This tells you what we’ve been doing with regard to the value-added.”

She said the expo will feature more than 60 local cocoa entrepreneurs showcasing their artisanal cocoa and chocolate products on Friday and Saturday. Gopee-Scoon said some products would be enthused with tonka beans and passion fruits, which could find their way into global niche markets.

She hailed local producers Cocoa Republic for recent awards at the 2019 Americas Bean-to-Bar Competition and Tobago Estate Chocolate in the 2018 European Bean-to-Bar Competition.

Gopee-Scoon said the global premium chocolate market is set to grow to US$33 billion by 2024, with 480 manufacturers worldwide, including 100 in Latin America and the Caribbean. “These markets suggest significant potential for export of our indigenous fine flavour cocoa products.”

TT’s main export markets for fine flavour beans are Germany, Japan, Netherlands and Switzerland.

She hoped more people would seek out the help offered by government agencies such as a $250,000 grant by her ministry and exportTT’s research and development fund. “That’s open for the taking.”

Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat presented a letter to Prof Path Umaharan of UWI’s Cocoa Research Centre awarding a 20 acre parcel of land at St Augustine Nurseries for a cocoa plant breeding programme.

Umaharan said the expo will include business to business meetings between local producers and foreign boutique/specialist chocolatiers from North America, Europe and Japan. A French chocolatier will host a chocolate sampling session, he added. He welcomed the Rio Claro Fermenters Group, who were also supported by the attendance of Mayaro MP Rushton Paray and his wife.

Cocoa Development Company chairman Winston Rudder said TT’s sterling reputation in cocoa/chocolate was not a birthright but an opportunity to be utilised. “We have much to be thankful for, but we are just skimming the surface of the opportunities that exist.” He said any “take-off” is yet to occur.