OPENING REMARKS FOR THE OPENING CEREMONY OF

THE 20TH MEETING OF THE NATIONAL FOCAL POINTS FOR ASEAN COCOA
CLUB (ACC) ON ASEAN COOPERATION AND JOINT APPROACHES IN
AGRICULTURE AND FOREST PRODUCTS PROMOTION SCHEME

17 May 2017
De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines
______________________________________________________________________________

Good Morning,

Dr Gerardo Janairo
Chancellor of De La Salle University

Br. Raymundo B Suplido, FSC

President of De La Salle University

Dr Fortunato De La Pena
Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology Philippines

Mr.Manuel F Pihol
Secretary of the Department of Agriculture

Mr. Rizani Irwan Muhamad Mazlan

Counsellor, Embassy of Malaysia

Ms. Nyaee Ayup

Trade Commissioner
Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE)
The National Trade Promotion Agency of Malaysia

Distinguished Heads and Delegates of ASEAN Member States

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the ASEAN Cocoa Club (ACC), I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the
Government of Philippines for hosting the 20th Meeting of the National Focal Points for ASEAN
Cocoa Club (ACC) on ASEAN Cooperation and Joint Approaches in Agriculture and Forest
Products Promotion Scheme from 16 to 18 May 2016.

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My very warmest welcome extended to our distinguished delegates from ASEAN Member States
in particular from Malaysia, Philippines and Viet Nam. We are indeed honoured to have the
Chancellor of the De La Salle University, Dr. Gerardo Janairo to grace and officiates the 20th
ACC Meeting. I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Cocoa
Foundation of Philippines, Department of Agriculture, Philippines and De La Salle University
for their commitment and support to jointly organized this Meeting.

The 6th Meeting of the ASEAN Cocoa Club Technical Working Group on Good Agricultural
Practices (ACCTWGAP) and the 9th Meeting of the ASEAN Cocoa Club on Food Safety
(ACCTWGFS) was held yesterday. I am sure all of you had a fruitful discussion in overcoming
the issues and challenges to strengthen the cocoa industry in the ASEAN countries.

I would also like to congratulate the organizing committee in the host country Philippines to
have the First Chocolate Appreciation Mini Exhibit in conjunction with the 20th ACC Meeting.
This program was proposed and agreed during the formulation of the new Vision and Strategic
Plan of the ACC in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. This event is successfully officiated this morning.
We hope that this promotion program will be continued in the next ACC Meeting with more
participation from ASEAN Member States (AMS).

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The ASEAN countries as a whole ranked as the second largest producers of cocoa beans in the
world and the largest in the Asia and Oceania region. According to the International Cocoa
Organization (ICCO), ASEAN countries with an estimated annual cocoa production of 351.5
tonnes, accounts for about 7.7% of the total world cocoa production for the period of 2016/2017.
Indonesia contributed about 7.2% of the total world cocoa production, while the cocoa
production in Malaysia, Philippines, Viet Nam and Thailand contributed about 0.5%.

In terms of grindings, ASEAN accounted about 16.5% or 700.5 tonnes of the total world cocoa
grinding in 2016/2017. ASEAN as a region is the largest cocoa processor in the Asia and
Oceania region, contributing about 76.3% of the total cocoa grindings. The cocoa industry in

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ASEAN has attained significant recognition in the global market both from the perspective of
cocoa beans production as well as supplier of the cocoa products.

However, the ASEAN countries should not be comfortable with this situation. One of the major
issues currently hitting the world cocoa economy is the issue on present downward trend of
cocoa bean price hitting a four-year low due to general market expectation of a huge world
surplus for the ongoing 2016/2017 cocoa season, resulting from a strong recovery in West
African and Latin American production. According to data released by ICCO Cocoa Market
Review, cocoa arrivals at ports in Côte d’Ivoire were around 1.4 million tonnes by 31 March, as
against 1.2 million tonnes during the same period for the previous season, which represented an
increase of more than 15% as compared to the previous cocoa year. This substantial percentage
increase further supported the general market expectation of a big surplus for the on-going cocoa
season.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The formation of ASEAN Cocoa Club (ACC) was to enhance collaborative efforts among
ASEAN Member States in strengthening and enhancing the Intra-ASEAN trade on cocoa and
cocoa products in the international market, as well as collectively overcome tariff and non-tariff
barriers, strengthening Research and Development and food safety issues on cocoa and cocoa
products. The ACC is one of the platform for the AMS to work closely together at all time,
especially during the difficult time of economic crisis as well as present downward trend on
cocoa beans price, in coming up with policies and strategies to overcome issues and problems
facing the cocoa industry.

The new Strategic Plan of Action (SPA) for the period of 2016-2020, which is in line with the
new Vision and Strategic Plan of ASEAN Cooperation in Food, Agriculture and Forestry for
2016 to 2025 was formulated during the 19th ACC Meeting in Jogjakarta, Indonesia. This year,
this Meeting will focus on reviewing the SPA, in coming up with a strategic and effective
activities and programmes, that will be meaningful and benefit all the AMS.

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Ladies and Gentlemen,

Before I conclude my speech, once again I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the
ACC Secretariat and the Organizing Committee in the Philippines for their hardworking in
successfully organizing this Meeting.

I hope that by the end of this Meeting, we could come up with more effective and implementable
activities to further promote the ASEAN cocoa and cocoa products in the world. I hope that all
delegates will have an effective and fruitful discussion to further enhance our collaborative
efforts in strengthening and enhancing long term competitiveness of ASEAN cocoa and cocoa
products in the international platform.

Thank you.

DATIN NORHAINI UDIN

Chairperson of the ASEAN Cocoa Club/
Director General, Malaysian Cocoa Board
17 May 2017

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