Cacao related-products are becoming potential for investment; therefore, many businesses have been pouring money into it.
In early 2000s, director of Thanh Dat Cocoa Production Services Trading Company Ngo Van Thanh thought of alternative tree for coffee trees in Xa Bang Commune in Chau Duc District because local farmers planned to grow other crops on low-yield coffee field.
He luckily met Dr. Pham Hong Duc, who was doing on cacao tree research at Ho Chi Minh City University of Agriculture and Forestry.
After that, they began sharing their knowledge about cacao trees to farmers in Chau Duc district (a rural district of Ba Ria–Vung Tau province in the Southeast region of Vietnam) and let them intercrop 15,000 seedlings in an area of about 1,200 hectares.
Three years later, his cacao grew well in the land and the cacao products topped the list around the world. Cacao tree growing has been prevalent across the southern provinces since then.
In 2005, he decided to establish a company in order to export cacao products to other countries, which mainly focused on unprocessed products with the price of VND60,000 (US$2.59) per kilogram.
Since 2007, in addition to 300 tons of crude cacao, products made from cacao such as chocolate, milk, cocoa, and cocoa tea of Thanh Dat Company have been consumed all over the world. Especially, the brand name of “made-in-Ba Ria - Vung Tau” cocoa has met Japan’s 410 criteria as the tree was grown without using chemical pesticides. In the upcoming time, his company will apply high-tech farming to reinforce productivity in a bid to improve farmers’ incomes.
Directing board of Binon Cocoa Joint Stock Company in Xa Bang Commune decided to convert its cacao garden into agritourism destinations. Lately, the company has welcomed many national travelers enjoying a variety of different products that are made from cacao.
In Ba Ria - Vung Tau, cocoa trees are grown mainly in Chau Duc district with an area of nearly 650 hectares. The local authorities in Ba Ria- Vung Tau province is currently focusing on finishing the essential infrastructure system to boost production process, quality, and food safety. They will continuously look for potential investors.
However, those enterprises have also been keeping an eye on environmental and natural resources protection .
