Cacao has been grown in the Philippines since the 17th century, when Spanish mariner Pedro Bravo de Lagunas introduced the crop in San Jose, Batangas. Since that time, cacao cultivation has thrived in various regions of the country.
In the 1950s, commercial cacao farms were established, and the production of cocoa beans evolved into an industry in the subsequent decade, as processing facilities were developed by a consortium of Filipino investors. The industry began to gain momentum in the mid-1980s, with increased investments directed towards commercial farms and grinding facilities.
However, the industry’s growth was halted when the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program was implemented in 1988, leading to the fragmentation and redistribution of commercial farms into smaller units. In addition, the unchecked spread of the cocoa pod borer pest resulted in the devastation and abandonment of several plantations.
But in recent years, cacao cultivation is experiencing a resurgence. This revival is attributed to the heightened global demand for chocolate. Indeed, recent studies indicate that worldwide chocolate consumption has been increasing at an annual rate of 3%.
“Though the majority of cacao is consumed in North America and Europe, demand is growing more rapidly in Asia where strong economic growth, particularly in India and China, is resulting in more people being able to afford luxury foodstuffs such as chocolate,” said a position paper written by Adam Keatts and Christopher Root.
The global demand for chocolate has been increasing, with new market opportunities emerging steadily in regions such as Central Asia, Eastern Europe, India, and various states within the Russian Federation. Moreover, there exists a significant market potential in Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and China that remains untapped. There is also a substantial local demand for cacao beans within the country.
Interestingly, the Philippines is situated in what experts refer to as the so-called “Cocoa belt.” This region, which lies between 10 to 20 degrees north and south of the equator, represents the optimal environment for cacao cultivation. The Cocoa belt encompasses areas in Central and South America, West Africa, and Southeast Asia.
Several varieties of cacao exist and they can be categorized into three primary groups: Criollo, Forastero, and Trinitario.
The Spaniards introduced Criollo to the Philippines during the 18th century. It is highly vulnerable to most cacao pests and diseases. It remains the most coveted and costly cacao variety due to its exceptional quality and scarcity. This variety, which is exclusively found in Ecuador and the Philippines, is also referred to as “porcelana cacao” because of the white color of its seeds. When given the appropriate care and attention, it can produce an average yield of 1.5 to two kilograms per tree under Davao conditions.
Forastero was brought to the country in the early 1990s by American settlers. This variety is recognized for its robustness and adaptability. It exhibits a range of responses to cacao pests and diseases, from highly susceptible to resistant.
Trinitario is believed to originate from Trinidad, known for the hybridization of Criollo and Forastero plants. Many selections of Trinitario yield high-quality beans (inherited from the Criollo lineage) while also exhibiting the resistance and vigor characteristic of the Forastero parent.
Most of the cacaos are grown mostly in Mindanao, particularly in the Davao region. One of those who championed cacao production is Valente “Val” D. Turtur; in fact, he is called the “cacao king.”
Turtur, the first chairperson of the National Cacao Council, never thought of becoming a cacao farmer himself. He was working with the government at that time with the agriculture office and was tapped to conduct training on cacao growing.
Turtur believed in the saying that you cannot share with others what you don’t know. “Practice what you preach,” he explained. His farms are located in Catalunan Grande and in Tamugan, Marilog, both in Davao City.
“The first thing to consider when growing cacao is the environment such as soil type, temperature, rainfall and elevation,” he said. “Thus, it is important to have the soil analyzed first to be able to know nutrients richness and deficiencies and be aware also if there are existing fruit trees in the area.”
Turtur commenced growing cacao in his farm in 2014. “I started earning income after three years from planting,” he said. “Cacao trees will start to bear fruits in 18 months from planting but it’s only after three years that I started earning.”
During the first cropping season, he harvested an average of 300 grams of dried beans per tree. In the subsequent harvest, he harvested an average of 500 grams of dried beans per tree per year.
“We used to suggest producing at least two kilos per tree but with the escalation of prices of inputs, it has to be 3 kilos of dried beans per tree per year to be profitable,” he said. “Cacao tree’s genetic expression is 3.5 kilos, hence 3 kilos is attainable.”
According to him, his cacao trees bear fruits every now and then and he harvests every two weeks throughout the year.
He said he processed around 50% of his dried cacao beans for tablea (a ball of ground-up cacao beans) and chocolate, while the remaining beans are sold to the chocolate makers in Luzon and Visayas.
Some of the tablea are processed into hot chocolate drinks called sikwate, which he is selling in his sikwate houses in Catalunan Grande and Tamugan. “It has been my dream to set up a house of chocolate (balay sikwate),” he admitted. “I grew up in a town where sikwate was part of a morning grind. Most folks drank sikwate which they believed gave them a healthy long life.”
Although Turtur encourages other farmers to go into cacao farming, he said that to become successful they need to start first with proper training. “Unlike coconut or banana – where farmers can just plant them in their farm and return only when it’s time to harvest – cacao farming is very different,” he explained.
“In cacao farming, I always tell farmers to frequently visit the farm and check the cacao trees,” he said. “The cacao trees will not produce good fruits or pods if they are not well-managed. The old saying, ‘Pag may itinanim, may aanihin,’ does not apply well in cacao.
“In cacao, the saying should go this way: ‘Pag may itinanim, may ipu-pruning, bago may aanihin.’ Pruning is done frequently. It may be laborious, but it is a key to productivity,” he further said.
As for those farmers who are already into cacao farming, he suggests that they go into diversification. “That has been our advocacy to farmers – to diversify,” Turtur stressed. “The market is so fragile and demanding; we do not know what it wants now and in the future.
“The advent of global warming and climate change could alter the behavior of pests which can affect the plants and their productivity. Basically, we advocate for a coconut/banana-cacao intercropping considering that Mindanao is practically coconut- and banana-based farms.
“The coconuts and bananas serve as the partial shades for cacao which during long dry spells the production of cacao will not be hampered,” Turtur went on to say. “For open areas without any coconuts, we encourage farmers to plant bananas – be it cardaba or lakatan prior to planting cacao.
“Or they can also plant vegetable crops like eggplant and okra during the early vegetative stage of cacao trees along with bananas. Once cacao trees are already productive, farmers can replace the vegetables with ginger, which can be planted in a sack under the cacao trees.”
Like most agricultural crops, cacao is not free from pest infestation. He cited cocoa pod borer as the most prevalent in the region. “This type of insect can affect cacao production by more than 50% if not properly addressed,” he warned. “The high cost of inputs such as pesticides prevent farmers from controlling the infestation of pests which affect farm productivity.”
When asked for his final statement, he said, “Farmers nowadays should start transforming farming as a business and not just as subsistence farming for there are other basic needs to be met. As a business, farmers must invest not just for human capital but also in financial capital.
In order to be successful in cacao farming, Turtur again reiterated the three basic elements: pruning, fertilization, and pest prevention. “These three basic elements will be in futility if the farmer does not apply and adapt it, and all these entail money. Thus, invest well and be an agripreneur.” (To be concluded)
