FROM CACAO TO CABINET: FORMING A CLUSTER FOR THE PHILIPPINE CHOCOLATE INDUSTRY

FROM CACAO TO CABINET: FORMING A CLUSTER FOR THE PHILIPPINE CHOCOLATE INDUSTRY


Is our chocolate export industry important enough to warrant the creation of a new Cabinet Cluster?

Some might scoff at the idea. But let’s frame the question differently: What if our chocolate—made from a rare, heirloom variety of cacao—is worth its weight in gold?

Thanks to visionary farmer-entrepreneurs like Chris Fadriga and advocates like Ramon Uy, Sr., the Philippines is now rediscovering and promoting the legendary Criollo cacao—a variety so rare it has become almost extinct in its country of origin, Mexico. Brought over during the Galleon Trade and surviving quietly for centuries in our soil, the Criollo strain is now being revived with passion and precision in farms across Negros and other parts of the country.

If we are sitting on agricultural gold, shouldn’t we treat it as such?

Consider this: Switzerland, famous for its chocolate, does not grow cacao. Yet it dominates the global market simply by mastering processing and branding. By contrast, the Philippines is a cacao producer, and if we combine that with a focused effort in processing, branding, and exporting, we could position ourselves as a niche player with global impact.

The global chocolate industry is currently worth about $120 billion. The United States alone imports $8.25 billion worth of cacao and cocoa preparations annually. And yet, the Philippines only exports about $22 million in these products to the U.S.—a mere fraction of what is possible.

The obvious question is: Why not more?

To be fair, the local chocolate industry is still small but growing. Pioneers like Filipa Madora and Ramon Uy Sr. have been quietly proving that premium, single-origin Philippine chocolate has both a place and a future in global markets. But this movement cannot remain private sector driven alone. It’s time for the national government to step in—not with a small task force or Technical Working Group (TWG), but with the formation of a new Cabinet Cluster on High-Value Crops and Agri-Exports.

This proposed cluster would coordinate efforts across several key agencies:

  • Department of Agriculture (DA) for cultivation and farmer support
  • Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for branding, promotion, and export
  • Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for product innovation and research
  • Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for sustainable agroforestry
  • Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for land use and farmer beneficiaries
  • National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to ensure inclusive livelihood
  • Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI) for post-harvest and by-products
  • University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) for scientific guidance and genetic conservation

This cluster would be tasked with nothing less than crafting a national strategy for cacao and chocolate exports, with a special emphasis on the Criollo strain. It would oversee the creation of regional cacao hubs, promote farmer cooperatives, offer tax incentives for premium chocolate processors, and launch a “Chocolates from the Philippines” global campaign—just as other countries have branded their wines, teas, or coffees.

Equally important, this cluster can integrate cacao cultivation into reforestation programs, a practice already being explored by Mr. Uy. Imagine forests filled with cacao and coffee trees—restoring biodiversity, preventing soil erosion, and generating income for Indigenous Tribal Peoples (ITPs). It’s a beautiful fusion of environmental protection and rural development.

There is no reason why the Philippines, blessed with fertile land and resilient farmers, should remain a bit player in the global chocolate story. We have the golden bean, the Criollo, in our hands. All we need now is strategic coordination, policy support, and sustained investment to turn this treasure into a national export brand.

Let Switzerland keep its cows. Let us bet on our cacao.

And let’s stop thinking small. The Filipino chocolate industry doesn’t need another working group—it needs a seat at the Cabinet table.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

09-15-2025

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