Cocoa Project Management Unit Established in Vietnam

The cocoa PMU, which comes under the responsibility of the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), is dedicated to strengthening the long-term growth of sustainable cocoa development in Vietnam.

28 Mar 2012 --- Cargill and the cocoa Public-Private Partnership (PPP), which includes the Vietnamese government, the government of Netherlands, the Rabobank Foundation, other commercial participants including Mars Incorporated, as well as NGOs, have jointly established a cocoa Project Management Unit (PMU).

The cocoa PMU, which comes under the responsibility of the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), is dedicated to strengthening the long-term growth of sustainable cocoa development in Vietnam.

The cocoa PMU complements Cargill’s Sustainable Cocoa Program which works to improve the lives of cocoa farmers and their families, and to secure long term sustainability of cocoa production. It will also focus on helping Vietnam’s cocoa farmers meet growing demand for high-quality certified and sustainable cocoa beans.

“Vietnam is playing an increasing role in the Asian agriculture market and the cocoa Project Management Unit signifies the government’s commitment to developing the industry,” said Greg Page, Cargill chairman and chief executive officer. “Cargill is pleased to be a valued partner in Vietnam’s plans for a sustainable, high-quality cocoa sector.”

Immediate priorities for the Unit include enhancing cocoa research, improved farming practices to increase yields; improving market access, advocating independent certification; and engaging with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and other institutions to drive sustainable development of the cocoa sector.

Cargill has been working in Vietnam since 2004 to develop the cocoa sector, providing the expertise for construction of seedling houses and production of high-quality seedlings, as well as training for farmers.

Since 2004, 12,000 farmers have been trained in good agricultural cocoa practices, such as pest control and cocoa fermentation, enabling them to increase their yields and incomes. From 2010 to 2011, 900 farmers received further advanced training to bring them up to UTZ Certified standards. For 2011 to 2012, the target is for an additional 1,000 farmers to receive such training.

Cargill has also built three buying stations close to cocoa growing areas, providing easy access to the market for Vietnamese farmers.

In 2011, Cargill reached a major milestone with the delivery of UTZ Certified sustainable beans from the first three certified farmers’ organisations in Vietnam. UTZ Certified sustainable cocoa provides a higher value, branded-marketing opportunity for Vietnamese cocoa producers. Through 2011, the number of certified farmers’ organisations rose to six, and the goal is to add another four farmer organizations by the end of 2012.