The global chocolate market is expected to reach approximately US$185 billion in 2033, and according to the Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Satyakama Maharaj, Trinidad and Tobago is trying to secure a portion of that market.
After he toured the University of the West Indies’ Cocoa Research Centre’s World Cocoa and Chocolate Day Expo on Friday, Minister Maharaj shared the government’s plans to secure Trinidad and Tobago’s place in the world chocolate market.
“The quality is the best in the world. The only obstacle is marketing and distribution, and we are going to facilitate that. The kind of marketing opportunities I would like to create, they will have to, and surpass that by a lot because we’ve got to replace oil and gas somehow, and this is one, a very important part. It wouldn’t replace all, but it would make a significant dent. We have to focus on our cocoa industry, our chocolate industry, which we are the best in the world at.”
Director of the UWI Cocoa Research Centre, Professor Pathmanathan Umaharan, indicated that they are trying to get the industry organised.
“We have been doing this over the last 11 years, and the opportunity for them, the small chocolatiers that are now producing chocolates, this gives them an opportunity to showcase their products to the public at large and thereby build their own industry. It also allows them to have business-to-business meetings with others so that they can get support.”
He noted the Centre, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Agricultural Development Bank, and the Cocoa Development Company continue to nurture these small producers.
“Convert the cocoa that we produce into chocolates and other products so that you can export this into the international market. As you know, Trinidad and Tobago is well known for the cocoa that we produce and the quality of cocoa that we produce, and therefore we are trying to build an industry around this precious commodity that we call cocoa.”
UWI produces its own brand of chocolate called Spiritt, which is also exported to the international market.