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ALTAMIRA, Puerto Plata.- The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Rural Economic Diversification Project, concluded an initiative aimed at improving the production and quality of the organic cacao in the community Altamira, in northern Puerto Plata province.
The project to bolster and diversify the Altamira Basin Chocolate Processor (CHOCAL), at a cost of RD$6.7 million and a USAID contribution of RD$2.5 million, has also facilitated support for women of Altamira organized to identify market niches that will allow them to be more competitive.
In this manner chocolate production, headed by community women of low income, will guarantee the quality of the organic cacao it processes while diversifying production and local and international marketing.
“Additionally the community will be able to obtain benefits since the chocolate factory will be able to motor agro and ecotourism actions,” said Duty Greene, USAID Economic Policies Adviser.
Thanks to the support of USAID Project technicians, 30 women organized in CHOCAL were trained in better production, management and marketing practices, and acquired machinery to process organic cacao more efficiently.
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Perhaps long term but right now Cacao prices are tanking.
That attempt to corner the market back in the early part of the summer has appeared to have backfired.
Blutocito. Have you looked at the price of Cacao lately? Long term it might be good for the DR but currently it is a money loser.
Plus it is MY MONEY being used.
In my family's farms, there were cacaguals, but my grandfather, god bless him, cut it all down for cattle. Now, we've been slowly bringing back the fruit trees, including cacao, but it'll take 4-5 years to get a good yield. we're at year 2. Anyhow, but at least there are people thinking about this.
cheers,
Excellent observations. The real money is in the value-added process. Certainly, a high quality bean helps enormously, but as with gold or any other commodity, learning and perfecting the added-value processes will bring greater riches in the future than merely cultivating for others to reap the larger share of the benefits. But for this to happen you need good to excellent technical training, networking skills, and knowhow concerning markets for the end product to realize your dreams. The Swiss don't grow their cacao, but they have built up a tremendous knowledge base and marketing/financial base, not to mention favorable customer good will. But I applaud your thinking and hope more Dominicans apply it in their areas of interests.
Cocoa prices peaked earlier this year and have been in a decline since mid-summer.
The Value added process is an interesting proposition. Any Ideas?
The High end Chocolate market is pretty much saturated plus it would take a serious marketing plan for people to associate the DR with quality Chocolates.
Been reading that the High-end/Luxo ice cream market is exploding but Chocolate would only be one flavor.
Some late breaking Cocoa news.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/201....wo-months-technical-analysis.html
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/201....outlook-sugar-coffee-advance.html
You read that correct: ice cream sommelier.
Last month, Katherine Montero graduated with a business degree from Harvard University. In July, which happens to be National Ice Cream Month (how appropriate), she starts a new job as ice cream sommelier at La Marea restaurant in Miami.
"I felt it would be a good combination of my interests," says Montero of her fascination with molecular gastronomy and commerce.
Montero as biologist and sommelier is working with Chef Gonzalo Rivera in an ice cream lab. Together they create unique flavors such as pizza: a combination of basil and tomato marmalade served with a curl of parmesan cheese. There's maple syrup served with a strip of crisp bacon and chocolate mole ice cream for those who want mere chocolate.
She grew up in the Dominican Republic where the juice of the tropical fruit known as a tamarind is used for insomnia.
If Montero gets her way in the lab, guests at the chic ocean-front hotel may soon experience tamarind infused ice cream.
Guest and visitors can also look forward to herbal tea flavored and aloe vera ice cream. Not exactly our cup of tea when it comes to ice cream flavors but we applaud the craftiness.
Other flavors in the works are dulce de leche with popcorn, white sapote, dark ale and mango and Thai red curry. Hmm... wonder if these will be ready in time for National Ice Cream Day on July 18?