| Photo from the FB page of Dalareich Chocolate HouseHowever, local producers are only able to supply 10,000 tons or 1/5 of the actual demand, according to Bohol’s ‘chocolate princess’ Dalareich Polot, who is also the founder and CEO of Ginto Fine Chocolates and co-founder of Dalareich Food Products/ Dalareich Chocolate House.
“Climate change is a big factor in drop in productivity. Delay ang harvest last year because of changes in weather,” she said.According to Polot, producers in Central Visayas, including Bohol province, only contribute about one percent of the local produce.It is for this reason that many of the manufacturers here, who need cacao for their products, are forced to import from abroad, Polot said.
Polot said she was working with 100 cacao farmers in Carmen town and another 50 in Calape to improve local production.Hot Sikwate made from locally produced cacao. | CDN Digital photo “The cooperative will buy the wet beans from the farmers. It’s up to the cooperative if they will sell these to us. We provide the coops with post harvest facilities,” she said.