Bicol-grown Cacao Eyed as Global Brand

The country's cacao industry roadmap is being updated primarily to position Bicol-grown beans as a globally recognized brand, the Department of Agriculture said.

- By Alden Monzon

In a statement over the weekend, the DA said the strategy will not only scale up output but also ensure that farmers gain from rising global demand for chocolate and cacao.

"The roadmap is about more than higher yields — it's about giving farmers better incomes and securing a stronger global footprint for Philippine cacao," DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.

"At the core is empowering our farmers and inspiring the next generation to see cacao not just as tradition, but as a future-ready enterprise," he added.