Makassar, S Sulawesi (ANTARA Sulsel) - Indonesia`s cocoa production tends to be stagnant although industry has increased its capacity to 100 percent or about 600 thousand tons per annum, a cacao business association chairman said.
"With this condition, Indonesia has the potential to become cacao importer, Yasa Rasyid Ali, the chairman of the Indonesian Cocoa Business Association (Askindo) for South Sulawesi, said here on Sunday.
He said that since the imposition of tax on the exportation of cacao beans in 2010, the capacity of industries at home had increased 100 percent or about 600 thousand tons per annum while production was still stagnant at 500 thousand tons.
Currently, the productivity of cacao plantations per hectare is only about 300 kg per hectare which is far from the ideal one at two tons per hectare par annum.
In the meantime, the contribution of South Sulawesi province to the national cocoa production is still good as compared to that of other cacao producing provinces.
"However, the local government still needs to boost the local cacao production," Yasa said.
Indonesia is the world`s third largest cocoa producer country after the Ivory Coast and Ghana. A Abdussalam
"With this condition, Indonesia has the potential to become cacao importer, Yasa Rasyid Ali, the chairman of the Indonesian Cocoa Business Association (Askindo) for South Sulawesi, said here on Sunday.
He said that since the imposition of tax on the exportation of cacao beans in 2010, the capacity of industries at home had increased 100 percent or about 600 thousand tons per annum while production was still stagnant at 500 thousand tons.
Currently, the productivity of cacao plantations per hectare is only about 300 kg per hectare which is far from the ideal one at two tons per hectare par annum.
In the meantime, the contribution of South Sulawesi province to the national cocoa production is still good as compared to that of other cacao producing provinces.
"However, the local government still needs to boost the local cacao production," Yasa said.
Indonesia is the world`s third largest cocoa producer country after the Ivory Coast and Ghana. A Abdussalam