Duc Lap Coffee Company is the first company in Dak Mil district that planted cocoa in a large area. Up to now, the company has 179 ha cocoa. After a period of trials, untill now cocoa areas of Duc Lap coffee company has developed and bring high income. Therefore, the company‘s workers are interested in alloting cocoa plantation and focused on caring and investment.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa family, Dak Lao commune had contracted 2.7 hectares of Duc Lap coffee company. With the price of cocoa at this curent time about 54,000-55,000 / kg, after minus input cost, her family has about 100 million VND / ha / year left.

Previously, due to unfamiliar investors care techniques, so many farmers said that cocoa is the investment more risky and costly. However, in practice, the care cocoa also quite simple. Like coffee growers, farmers must apply aggregate measures, which must use good quality seed; prevention, pest processing time; attention to the care, fertilizing full versatility, medium and micro nutrients for plants that grow well.

Although Dak Nong has many potential conditions to develop cocoa, but the area is low because farmers is worrrying about the output of the product. However, in fact, demand of cocoa in the world nowadays is increasing sharply, but supplies are dcreasing. According to Mr. Nguyen Ba Dung – market development staff, Cargill Vietnam co.: there is predictation that 2020 the world will lack about 1 million tons cocoa, while cocoa supply to the market is very limited. This is a favorable time for farmers to increase investment in cocoa development. Mr. Nguyen Ba Dung also added, there are some enterprises in Dak Mil is purchasing cocoa product, so the cocoa growers đo not to worry about the output of the product any more.

With the advantages and favorable climate conditions, soil, Dak Mil People‘s Committee also has encouraged farmer convert inefficient trees to plant cocoa. Mr. Pham Tuan Anh - Vice Chairman of Dak Mil district said the district also has policies to encourage farmers to take advantage of land that lack of water or not suitable with coffee to grow cocoa.

Currently, average cocoa productivity of Dak Mil is about 1.8 to 2 tonnes / ha. The well care cocoa plantation can reach 3 tonnes / ha. Recently, many households in Dak Gan commune, Dak‘s R‘la, Dak Mil district has converted the inefficient area to plant cocoa or intercrop with cashew. The total area of cocoa in this region is about 50ha. It is known that, beside Dak Mil district, some other districts in Dak Nong province has grown cocoa as: Cu Jut, Krong, Tuy Duc, Dak Lap ... According to orientation of developing cocoa of the province, to 2015 and vision to 2020, the province will have 5,000 ha of cocoa or more with productivity is about 10,000 tons.

Source: Ipcdaknong.com.vn