FIJI COCOA FARMERS. ASSOCIATION

Fiji’s Cocoa industry was initiated in 1960. This was part of the Government’s effort to introduce cocoa farming to the small coconut holders growing coconut in the Northern Division. This same initiative was later introduced to the landowners in the Central and Western Divisions who have available land which hasn’t been cultivated.

The Fiji Cocoa Nucleus project followed thereafter and targeted massive uncultivated Mataqali or Yavusa land converting it to cocoa farms. Assistance in the form of the establishment of farm roads for easy access, employment, farm housing, and vehicles was provided to the landowners.

Grants were provided for both initiatives – Cocoa for smallholder farmers and the Cocoa Nucleus Project. The result of these two initiatives paved the way for the export of cocoa beans from Fiji in the 1970s. 1987 recorded a one-time high production volume of 486 tonnes of cocoa beans that
were supplied by both individual farmers and the existing nucleus project. The favorable world market price also contributed to the increase in production.
As long as there are global consumers, the Cocoa Industry will always be self-secured, since cocoa is a global product. The continuous awareness of the health benefits of cocoa has caused an upsurge in the demand for cocoa globally. International companies like Global Nutraceuticals and Functional Food Industries are the two main industries that drive the demand for cocoa beans.

Local markets that are available are Cacao Fiji, Koko Siga, Spices Fiji, Fijiana Cacao, Bolea Chocolate, Mai Natural, and Sai Yee Foods. These companies connect and promote Fiji Made Brand in the Cocoa Industry to the Global Market. Fiji’s export of cocoa beans to Australia, France, New Zealand, and the United States increased from 5.4 metric tonnes to 9.5 metric tonnes in 2017. Fiji does have the potential to improve further on this positive trend with unswerving support from Government and the Private stakeholders.

The Fiji Cocoa Farmers Association was formed on the 22nd of January 2016 and is registered with the Registrar of the Ministry of Employment, Productivity, and Industrial Relations to represent the cocoa farmers around Fiji to: –
✓ Secure the complete organization of the Association;
✓ Promote, protect, and maintain just and proper treatment of members in all aspects of the operation of the FCFA;
✓ Represent the interests of the members of the FCFA;
✓ Negotiate all matters relating to the promotion and development of the members of the FCFA;
✓ Link farmers to the buyers and other key stakeholders;
✓ Help strategize for future opportunities of forming a commercial entity to buy, process, and export cocoa products and by-products; and

✓ Help establish a Public-Private Producer Partnership (4 P’s) for the members of the FCFA. This makes it an important starting point as Cocoa Farmers are able to strategically discuss issues, ideas, and initiatives upfront.

Our Vision
Improving the cocoa industry using collaborative measures.

Our Mission
Working together to achieve a common goal through –
1. Skills and knowledge empowerment;
2. Increase production;
3. Venturing into new markets; and
4. Improving the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.

Our Values

 • Trust and fairness.
• Transparency and accountability.
• Preserving the environment.
• Innovation.
• Add value.
• Quality & quantity.

Achievements so far

 • Registration of the Association to the Ministry of Employment and Public Relations –
3rd of June, 2020;
• Registration of members;
• Provision of a chain saw by FCLC for the association;
• Provision of a nursery for the association (Wailotua).

Objectives:
The objectives of the association shall be to: –
✓ Increase cocoa beans production for the local and export market;
✓ Take action in combating climate change and its impacts through the adoption of organic farming, climate-smart agriculture, and sustainable resource management;

✓ Achieve inclusiveness through gender equality and empowerment of women, girls, and youths
with the right knowledge and skills to participate in the production, value-adding, and
marketing of cocoa;
✓ Provide quality seeds and seedlings;
✓ Help establish a Public-Private Producers Partnership (4 P’s) for the members of the Fiji Cocoa Farmers Association;
✓ Improve and sustain Food and Nutrition Security for all Fijians;
✓ Be compliant with the Fiji Cocoa Farmers and Marketing Association’s Governance and Policies;
✓ Be compliant with the Trade Policies and Biosecurity Authority of Fiji Policies;
✓ Increase the export of cocoa and increase the percentage of export for nation- building; fairness;
✓ Promote, transparency, and accountability; and
✓ Alleviating poverty and improving livelihood.

Strategies:
• Assisting cocoa farmers (men, women, and youths) to increase production by helping cocoa farmers in targeting unused native land;
• Seek assistance with building materials for the nursery from the government;
• Establish cocoa nurseries and availability of cocoa planting materials;
• Establish a business arm of the association;
• Better understanding of the Policies of the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji and Trade Policies; and
• Better understanding of climate change and its effects on the cocoa industry.

Action:
• To build knowledgeable, motivated, and aligned cocoa farmers through workshops and training on GAPs on cocoa cultivation, climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land management, resilience, and organic cultivation of cocoa.
• Include and empower women, girls, and youths with technical skills and knowledge on cocoa production, value-adding, and marketing.
• Conducting workshops and training on identifying key areas and a better understanding of the Trade and Biosecurity Authority of Fiji Policies to facilitate and enhance industries’ engagement.
• Establishing nurseries for the production and provision of quality seeds and seedlings for cocoa farmers.

Cocoa Varieties in Fiji
Some varieties of cocoa which are recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture are: –
a. Amelonado;
b. Trinitario; and
c. Keravat.

Market Prices
The price of cocoa beans are: –
a. Wet beans: – $1.20 – $1.50/kg (Cacao Fiji – Arif Khan)
b. Dry beans: – $5.00/kg (Fijiana Cacao – Tomo).

Membership
The membership is open to any person who is currently planting cocoa and those farmers who are interested in planting cocoa.
The entrance fee for members of the Association shall be $10.00 and the subscription fee shall be $10.00 annually. The entrance fee and the subscription fee shall be non-refundable.

Members who are more than thirteen (13) weeks in arrears of subscription shall not be entitled to any Association benefits, nor will they be permitted to vote at any Association’s meeting. Members whose subscriptions are more than thirteen (13) weeks in arrears shall cease to be a member of the Association.
All members must abide by the rules of the Association. All intending new members have to apply by paying the Entry and Subscription fee and
filling out the FCLC Registration Form.

The Registration Form can be obtained online or from the FCLC Office at the Ministry of Agriculture, Level 2 Hugh Robinson Complex, Grantham
Road, Raiwaqa, Suva.