Confirel and Marou Chocolate Promote the Cultivation of One Million Cacao Trees in Cambodia

Early in February, Dr. Hay Ly Eang, CEO of Confirel, and Vincent Mourou, founder and CEO of Marou Chocolate, met with farmers in the village of Bonhok, Ratanakiri Province, to promote an ambitious cacao cultivation project. Dubbed "Cocoa Ratanakiri," this initiative aims to encourage farmers to plant one million cacao trees across 1,000 hectares in four provinces: Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, Kratié, and Stung Treng, over a period of five years.

Confirel and Marou Chocolate assured farmers and local authorities that they would provide six types of high-quality seeds at reasonable prices, along with technical advice for cultivation and maintenance. The two companies also committed to collecting and purchasing the agricultural products at market price: 5,000 riels per kilo for shelled cacao and 1,200 riels for unshelled cacao. 

According to Dr. Hay Ly Eang, this project could yield 3 to 4,000 tons, meeting the needs of Marou and other partners. If successful, Confirel plans to further expand cacao cultivation, positioning "Ratanakiri cacao" as a national identity product that highlights the unique flavor of Cambodian cacao on an international scale. Vincent Mourou highlighted that Ratanakiri cacao has a fruity and slightly spicy flavor. Marou Chocolate is involved in developing the cacao, providing technical support to farmers from planting to fermentation. 

The promotional meeting saw strong participation, with clear guarantees from Confirel and Marou to provide seeds at reasonable prices and free technical advice, as well as a commitment to purchase cacao products at market prices.