BANGKOK, Nov 28 (TNA) – The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is studying the promotion of cacao trees as a new cash crop to partly replace or added in the rubber plantations because global demand for cocoa is high.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Grisada Boonrach said he ordered the study because cocoa prices were high and Thai chocolate brand PARADAi won world-class awards for its quality cocoa produced in Nakhon Si Thammarat province.
The awards showed that Thai cocoa was of high quality, the minister said.
According to him, a committee was set up to study the promotion of local cocoa. It comprises representatives from the Department of Agricultural Extension, the Department of Agriculture, the Land Development Department, the Office of Agricultural Economics, the Agricultural Land Reform Office, the Rubber Authority of Thailand, and the Highland Research and Development Institute.
The committee will study local and global demand for cocoa, areas suitable for cacao plantations, cultivation, its costs and processed cocoa products.
If the study proves cacao to be a cash crop, it can be promoted to partly substitute or include in the rubber plantations, Mr Grisada said. (TNA)
