KOTA KINABALU, May 26 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian government, through the Malaysian Cocoa Board (MCB), plays a key role in driving cocoa research and development (R&D) to boost the industry’s competitiveness.
Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said the MCB's R&D centre specialises in cocoa cultivation, post-harvest processing, breeding and mass management, and quality control as well as product development.
"Our efforts in the upstream sector continue to bear fruit with cocoa beans production increasing by 65 per cent from 269 tonnes to 445 tonnes last year," he said in his keynote speech at the launch of the Malaysian International Cocoa Fair (MICF) 2025 here today.
Also present were Deputy Plantation and Commodities Minister, Datuk Chan Foong Hin, MCB chairman Datuk Matbali Musah and MCB director-general Datuk Dr Ramle Kasin.
Johari said Malaysia must revive local cocoa production to gradually reduce the imbalance between the robust downstream sector and the upstream market.
He said the focus is on premium cocoa varieties such as fine flavour beans, single-origin beans and organic beans to meet global quality demands.
"To embrace a sustainable and responsible cocoa supply chain, we will continue to work on the National Cocoa Traceability System which is currently in progress. Once complete, I encourage those who import cocoa beans to bring this system to their source countries and work with farmers there to embrace sustainability at the plantation level," he said.
Meanwhile, Johari said Malaysia is committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, reducing methane emissions by 30 per cent, and maintaining forest cover at no less than 50 per cent.
He said this is why the implementation policies prohibit deforestation and focus on good agricultural practices with quality planting materials.
“We're embarking on sustainable plantation practices that will yield higher returns and premium prices for farmers in the future while protecting our environment and forests,” Johari added.
MICF 2025 is organised by the MCB from May 24-27, featuring exhibitions, conferences, cultural dinners, business matching and business talks.
The event has attracted 1,000 participants from 16 countries, bringing together industry leaders, researchers, investors and government stakeholders to explore the latest trends and technologies in cocoa.
-- BERNAMA
