Opening speech by Dr.

Tran Van Khoi – Chairman of the Viet Nam Cocoa Committee

(VCC) / Director General, National Agriculture Extension Center (NAEC)

Datin Norhaini Udin

Director General of the Malaysian Cocoa Board
Mr. Tran Van Cong – Deputy Director – Department of processing and market development for
agriculture products – MARD
Mr. Vo Van Thu – Deputy Director General – Binh Dien Fertilizer Company

Delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Miramar, Thailand Viet Nam,

Good morning and welcome all of you to the 21th Meeting of the National Focal Point for the
ASEAN Cocoa Club on ASEAN Cooperation and Joint Approaches in Agriculture and Forest
Products Promotion Scheme, which Vietnam VCC, and NAEC are pleased to host in cooperation
with Department of crop production, and Binh Dien Fertilizer Company.

Distinguished guest
Lady and gentlemen

As you may known today the World cocoa production and quality are still low compared to
previous periods. Reason why 1) firstly, in some cocoa productive countries, environmental
business including infrastructure condition in cocoa planting area is still backward, labor cost for
cocoa production is increasing as well as limited supported policy from authorities, and there is
shortage of tariffs supporting policy from government. 2) secondly, cultivation techniques,
seedling are still not well improved such as pest and disease problems, on the other hand cocoa
yield is still low as cocoa farms are getting older, and cultivation techniques is still backward,
all most cocoa planting countries have been using old cocoa varieties, fertilizer application , and
irrigation techniques are not well improved. 3) Thirdly, economic figure: the World cocoa price
is not good and unstable when input productive cost is increased, there is competitive in term of
benefit between cocoa and other crops (coffee, black pepper etc)

Distinguished guest
Lady and gentlemen

The ASEAN Cocoa Club or ACC, was established in July 1996. Since then, it has worked
toward strengthening and enhancing Intra-ASEAN trade on cocoa and cocoa products, among
other crops and commodities. These initiatives, which are in line with the following objectives of
the ASEAN Cooperation and Joint Approaches in Agriculture and Forest Products Promotion
Scheme, have sought to: Strengthen the bargaining position of ASEAN in the world market on
matters affecting agriculture and forest products; upgrade and expand the export of these sectors’
produce through product diversification, among others.
1
Today’s meeting of the ACC conduct in HCM city of Vietnam, show Vietnam’ continuing
commitment to ACC objective. And Vietnam VCC and NAEC are very much pleased to have an
active role in the continuing to improve cocoa quality and production in Vietnam and as well as
in the regions

Distinguished guest
Lady and gentlemen

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the ACC Secretariat and the Viet Nam VCC
staffs, local Secretariat, Organizing Committee in Vietnam for their hardworking for success of
the Meeting.

I hope that by the end of the 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.

Finally, I would like to express my since thanks distinguished guests, all delegates for your
coming, Thank you, and I wish you enjoy your time in Ho Chi Minh City, a city of peace and
hospitality.

Thank you very much

Dr. Tran Van Khoi

Viet Nam VCC Chairman/
Director General, NAEC