RM4.3b worth of cocoa exported in first 7 months of this year, says Fadillah

RM4.3b worth of cocoa exported in first 7 months of this year, says Fadillah

The deputy prime minister says a quarter of the area planted with cocoa is in Sarawak.

Fadillah Yusof said cocoa is the third largest commodity contributing to the country’s export value after palm oil and rubber. (Rawpixel pic)
KUCHING:
The value of Malaysia’s cocoa exports reached RM4.364 billion in the first seven months of this year, says deputy prime minister Fadillah Yusof.

Fadillah, who is also the plantation and commodities minister, said this was a good indication that the country will achieve its export target of RM8 billion for this year.

“Cocoa is the third largest commodity contributing to the country’s export value after palm oil and rubber.

“In 2022, cocoa contributed as much as RM7.8 billion to the country’s export income.

“This was an increase of 13.7% compared to 2021,” he said at an event organised by the Sarawak Cocoa Cluster Cooperative at the Cocoa Research and Development Centre here today.

Fadillah said cocoa is currently planted on 5,985ha and the area is targeted to increase to 6,335ha as a result of the opening of new plantations.

Of that acreage, 24.6% or 1,473ha are cultivated in Sarawak.

“Cocoa cultivation in Sarawak is concentrated in Kota Samarahan and Sarikei. We have 1,290 cocoa farmers in Sarawak,” he added.

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