Author : Bihis, Dennis L.; Calanasan, Flore May F.; Mejia, Emilio M. Jr.; Aragon, Corazon T.; Quicoy, Cesar B.; Billedo, Nikka Marie P.; Paller, Rebeka A.

Summary : The Philippines is the first country in Asia to plant cacao (Theobroma cacao Linn.) after it was introduced by a Spanish mariner named Pedro Bravo de Lagunas sometime in 1670 (Tacio 2014). Among Asian countries, the Philippines possesses a competitive advantage in growing cacao due to its geographic location, optimum climatic condition for growth and development, and its proximity to markets. Despite being the first in Asia to plant the crop, the Philippines is a net importer of cacao (Dagooc 2018).

Since the country’s cacao production could not meet the growing domestic demand for this product, the Department of Agriculture (DA) distributed cacao seedlings all over the country, extended technical assistance on the production and management of the crop, and provided post-harvest and processing facilities to increase cacao production in the country.