WELCOMING REMARKS FOR THE OPENING CEREMONY OF

THE 22ND MEETING OF THE NATIONAL FOCAL POINT FOR THE
ASEAN COCOA CLUB (ACC) ON ASEAN COOPERATION AND JOINT APPROACHES
IN AGRICULTURE AND FOREST PRODUCTS PROMOTION SCHEME
17 JULY 2019
PULSE GRANDE HOTEL, PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA

By
Deputy Director-General (Operation) of MCB/
Acting Chairman of the 22nd ACC Meeting

Thank You Emcee.

Assalamualaikum and A Very Good Morning.

Yang Berbahagia,
Dato’ Dr. Tan Yew Chong, The Secretary General of the Ministry of Primary Industries,
Malaysia

Yang Berhormat,
Tuan Jonathan Yasin, Chairman of Malaysian Cocoa Board

Yang Berusaha Madam Kanagadevi A/P Pachaiappan

Under-Secretary, Pepper and Cocoa Industrial Development
Ministry of Primary Industries, Malaysia

Mr. Yeow Chai Hong

Chairman of the Cocoa Manufacturer’s Group (CMG) Malaysia

Heads and Delegates of ASEAN Member Countries

Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome and Selamat Datang.

It is my great pleasure to welcome all the distinguished delegates to Malaysia for the 22nd
ASEAN Cocoa Club Meeting and hope you will enjoy your stay in this beautiful venue in
Putrajaya with warm hospitality. We are indeed honoured to have Yang Berbahagia
Dato’ Secretary General of the Ministry of Primary Industries, Malaysia to be with us
today. Yang Berbahagia Dato’ has consented to grace and officiate our 22nd ACC
Meeting. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks and appreciation for his keen
interest, commitment and support of our activities and the cocoa industry in Malaysia.

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Malaysia is glad to be chosen as the host and The Malaysian Cocoa Board is honoured to
organise the 22nd ACC meeting after a lapse of five years (the last hosted by Malaysia
was the 17th ACC meeting, on the 7-8 May 2014, at the Pacific Sutera Hotel, Kota
Kinabalu, Sabah). This year we have the opportunity to bring the delegates to the federal
territory of Putrajaya, the country's commercial and financial centre; presenting an
opportunity to show more of the attractive places Malaysia can offer, our diversity and
immense culture which would be very hard for anyone to resist.

Ladies and Gentleman,

Malaysia as the lead country or the coordinator of ACC is committed to continue to work
on achieving ACC objectives to strengthen and enhance the Intra-ASEAN trade on cocoa
and cocoa products to be in line with the objectives of the ASEAN Cooperation and Joint
Approaches in Agriculture and Forest Products Promotion Scheme as follows:

i. Strengthening the objective bargaining position of ASEAN on matters affecting

agriculture and forest products trade in the world market;
ii. Expand agriculture and forest products export through product diversification of
downstream processing and higher value-added activity;
iii. Continue upgrading the quality of ASEAN agriculture and forest products; and
iv. Lay down the foundation for a bigger and closer economic ties between ASEAN
member countries

These objectives are also in line with the Strategic Plan of Action (SPA), covering the
period of 2016-2020 which was discussed and endorsed by the ASEAN Member States
(AMS) in the 20th ACC Meeting and presented for the endorsement in the Joint
Committee Meeting 2017 in Cambodia.

Ladies and Gentleman,

For the past two days, three meetings have been conducted here, which are the 11th
Meeting of the ASEAN Cocoa Club Technical Working Group on Food Safety (ACC
TWGFS), the 8th Meeting of the ASEAN Cocoa Club Technical Working Group on Good
Agriculture Practices (ACC TWGGAP) and the 22nd ACC Meeting. Today is the final
day of the ACC Meeting for the conclusion and adoption of the Meeting’s report. I do
hope all the delegates have an effective and fruitful discussion to further strengthen and
enhance our collaborative efforts in strengthening and enhancing long term
competitiveness of ASEAN cocoa and cocoa products in the international platform.

The MCB has also arranged a visit to cocoa smallholder farm in Alor Gajah, Melaka and
the Chocolate Museum in Kota Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. Hopefully all of the
delegates will join the visit and experience the simple and successful life of the farmer
where cocoa is sustainably grown as well as witness the latest, most interactive and one-
of-a-kind chocolate museum in South East Asia.

MCB has carried out many important programmes and activities, among which some are
related to ASEAN joint cooperation since the last ACC Meeting. The changes in the
world cocoa scenario and particularly in the ASEAN region, has brought about new
challenges and issues. The close co-operation among ASEAN Member Countries in
meeting these new challenges would be a force to be reckoned with.

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Ladies and Gentleman,

The cocoa industry in ASEAN has been expanding rapidly, and currently ranks as the
fourth largest producers of cocoa beans in the world and the largest in the Asia and
Oceania region. According to the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO), ASEAN
countries with an estimated annual cocoa production of 237,000 tonnes, accounts for
about 4.9 percent of the total world cocoa production for the period of 2018/19. The top
three producing countries in the ASEAN region, namely Indonesia, Malaysia and the
Philippines contributed about 76.7 percent of the total Asia and Oceania cocoa
production.

Meanwhile, aided by a good consumption growth worldwide, the total cocoa grindings in
ASEAN has also expanded and reached an estimated 852,000 tonnes, which accounted
for 17.9 percent of the world total cocoa grindings in 2018/19. ASEAN is the largest
cocoa processors in the Asia and Oceania region, contributing about 76.6 percent.

ASEAN cocoa industry continues to attain significant recognition in the world as an

important source of cocoa beans and semi processed cocoa products such as cocoa liquor,
cocoa butter, cocoa cake and cocoa powder as well as chocolate products. Some
members of the ASEAN countries are well established as the major producers and
exporters of cocoa beans and cocoa products.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Looking at the performances of the cocoa industry in ASEAN member countries, there
are ample opportunities to further develop and expand this industry. However, the
industry must continue to address challenges posed by the economic situation including
price volatility, significant gap between supply and demand, pest and diseases problems,
stringent quarantine and food safety requirements and many more. Therefore, active
involvement and collaboration between the government and private sectors in the true
spirit of ASEAN should be strengthened further particularly in addressing issues
confronting the cocoa industries. It is important to have continuous cooperation and
networking from all the ASEAN countries as these will enable us to strengthen our
position and sustain the expansion of our cocoa industry in the global market.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Before concluding, once again I would like to record my sincere appreciation and
gratitude to the Yang Berbahagia Dato’ Secretary General of the Ministry of Primary
Industries, Malaysia for his untiring support and commitment to ensure a Sustainable
Cocoa Economy and Industry in Malaysia. I also wish to thank the Ministry of Primary
Industries, Malaysia for their continuous support in ensuring the success of organizing
this Meeting.

Lastly, my appreciation and congratulation to the ACC Secretariat and the Local
Organizing Committee and all the relevant agencies from the public and private sectors,
who have worked diligently and tirelessly in ensuring the preparations of this Meeting
successfully undertaken.

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I also hope that the ACC will continue to grow its strength for its role in chartering the
ASEAN way for placing cocoa in its rightful place on the global scene.

Thank you.

Dr. Hj. Ramle Hj. Kasin

Deputy Director-General (Operation), MCB/
Acting Chairman of the 22nd ACC Meeting

17 July 2019

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