NAGA CITY,  Camarines Sur — Speaking at the first Bicol Cacao Congress and the fourth Cacao Festival, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. highlighted Bicol’s unique climate and soil conditions, which make it ideal for cacao cultivation. He praised the region’s progress, noting growing recognition of its high-quality beans—especially with Alea Chocolates being named the region’s Key Cacao Processor by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry.

He said the DA’s backing of the cacao sector carries out the vision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for continued support to the High Value Crops Development Program by ramping up access to planting materials, rejuvenating old farms, and investing in fermentation and drying facilities to boost quality and farmer incomes.

Central to the government’s cacao push is the ongoing update of the Cacao Industry Roadmap. This strategy focuses on increasing production, developing processing facilities, and expanding markets while promoting sustainable and ethical sourcing practices. ### (Photos by Jay Morales, DA-OSEC)