Since economic recession in 1997, Indonesian cocoa production has shown a rapid growth. Today, national production has contributed 500.000 MT to the total production and regarded as the third largest in the world after Ivory Coast and Ghana. In 2010, the national share is expected to be the largest in the world replacing the two countries, thus would contribute significantly to foreign earnings and social welfare from the agricultural sector.

These days, agricultural sector faces several challenges in encountering global requirements. Not only to achieve optimum production capacities and maintain high competitive level, agriculture practices should also anticipate shifting market demands for better and healthier agricultural produces, the use of organic resources instead of chemical inputs i.e. pesticides or fertilizers, and the increase of environmental sustainability concern. These would lead dramatic changes in international food and agricultural development and directly implies cocoa agro-industry development.

Sustainability is the responsibility of all cocoa stakeholders. It affects highly in supply side, the cocoa mainstream industry especially pre-harvest, post-harvest, and management process. However, in Indonesia, most of cocoa plantations are managed by smallholders or traditional farmers. It causes low productivity and the difficulty to maintain high quality, availability and continuity of cocoa beans supply. A number of weaknesses such as lack of knowledge and trainings, limited access to new technology, financial sources, information and market have also identified. To overcome the situation, encouraging direct investments as well as partnerships in production, research and development, and marketing is one of the important strategic actions.
 

Being aware of the circumstances, Indonesian government has just released new policies and deregulations in agricultural sectors. The recent elimination of value added taxes (VAT), fair trade practice, zero tax for exporting activities on cocoa beans and some agricultural commodities, are of the new policies to boost direct investments in processing industry so that Indonesia would not only become traditional exporters but also producers of value added cocoa products. Consequently, the investors and business partners would benefit from the availability of high quality and competitive cocoa products.

Based on the imperative of sustainability development and partnerships, Indonesian Cocoa Association (INCA) will host the 4th Indonesian International Cocoa Conference (IICC) 2007 which will be held in Nusa Dua, Bali on 28- 29 June 2007. The IICC 2007 will highlight global cocoa sustainability issues that reveal best practices from cocoa producing countries and the consuming countries’ perspectives, as well as unveil new policies, current situation of cocoa industry and investment opportunities in Indonesia. Important issues such as fermented and non fermented produce, recent findings on the health aspects of cocoa and other progress in cocoa development will also discussed in the conference.

To complement the 4th IICC 2007, INCA will also hold International Cocoa Dinner 2007 in the Westin Resort Bali, on 29 June 2007. The International Cocoa Dinner 2007 will be the closing mark of the overall event and the central of business-to-business meetings accommodating cocoa agro-industry players in the world to expand their networks and develop partnerships opportunities.

Event Highlight

The IICC 2007 will highlight sustainability development and partnerships in cocoa development in the world which emphasis on :
- Current situation of global cocoa development and market requirements
- Issues in cocoa sustainable development and practices
- Partnership opportunities in sustainability and market development
 

Who Should Attend

The world cocoa stakeholders should attend the 4th IICC 2007 that include:
• Cocoa planters, traders, manufacturers and grinders
• Related and derived industries
• Policy makers from government and private institutions
• Organizations and individuals who are interested in cocoa
• Researchers and academicians
 

Goal

To encourage the world’s cocoa stakeholders taking active participation and supporting the sustainable development of cocoa industry through business partnerships.
 

Objectives

1. To share global cocoa sustainability development and practices.
2. To promote sustainability awareness of cocoa and its related products that involves cocoa manufactures, grinders, cocoa growers and consumers.
3. To bring together traders, manufactures, grinders, researchers and other parties in the cocoa community worldwide.