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Cocoa, chocolate and confectionery

Cocoa, chocolate and confectionery
  • Colombian cocoa features a superior flavour and aroma, a distinction afforded to only 5% of cocoa beans worldwide. International Cocoa Organization (ICCO), 2011
  • Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela produce 70% of the world's fine and aroma cocoa. FAO, 2010
  • Colombia has a potential 2 million hectares suitable for the development of cocoa farming. Ministry of Agriculture (Ministerio de Agricultura), 2003
  • The Chocolate and Confectionery sector participates in the Production Transformation Programme (PTP) of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism (Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo), which seeks to improve sector competitiveness through Public-Private partnerships and business plans.

Business Opportunities in Colombia

Production

  • Suitable soil, physiographic and climate conditions for cocoa farming. Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Ministerio de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural, MADR), 2010
  • Crop upgrade through cloning to ensure world-class cocoa production and to improve current production. National Cocoa Production Development Plan 2012-2021
  • Defined genetic material (regional and universal clones) for use according to each agroecological zone in the country. The National Cocoa Growers Federation of Colombia (Federación Nacional de Cacaoteros de Colombia, Fedecacao), the Ministry of Agriculture and the Colombian Corporation for Agricultural Research (Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria, Corpoica), 2011
  • Income tax exemption for late harvest crops for new plantations established between 2003 and 2014.

Research & development

  • The general objective of the Ten-year Cocoa Production Development Plan 2012-2021, is to make Colombia a world-class player in the fine and aroma cocoa market. The plan proposes an increase in production from 400 kg/ha/year to 1,200 kg/ha/year with a target for modern crop productions of 1,800 kg/ha/year. Ten-year Cocoa Production Development Plan, 2012-2021
  • The policy on agricultural technology innovation through production chain research and innovation agendas headed by the CORPOICA (a diversified entity that provides technological know-how and solutions to the agricultural sector, with 7 research centres, 8 experimental facilities and 270 researchers). National Development Plan, 2010-2014

Regions

  • Caribbean Region
  • Medellin
  • Santander
  • Norte de Santander
  • Quindio
  • Caldas
  • Risaralda
  • Boyaca
  • Bogota
  • Huila
  • Tolima
  • Cauca
  • Cali
  • Meta
  • Casanare