President Claudia Sheinbaum led the presentation this Saturday of the progress made under the “Food for Wellbeing” strategy, where she highlighted that the signing of the Modernized Global Agreement (MGA) between Mexico and the European Union will bring benefits to small cocoa producers in Tabasco through social investment.
“We believe that these trade agreements can benefit large companies, but we must ensure they also benefit people from the ground up, because that is the difference between previous governments and the governments of transformation,” the president stated in Comalcalco.
She also asked Governor Javier May Rodríguez, the director of Food for Wellbeing María Luisa Albores González, and local producers to present within two weeks a proposal to guarantee prices and increase the added value of cocoa, with the goal of helping farmers access better markets and export to Europe at fair prices.
“Present me with a project to guarantee prices for cocoa producers in Tabasco — for all small cocoa producers,” she said. She added that the plan will be called “Fair Price for Tabasco Cocoa.”
“It should not stop at simply selling cocoa beans dry. We must guarantee fair prices and create added value so that small producers themselves can export to Europe at fair prices,” she emphasized.
Tabasco Strengthens Its Cocoa Industry and Production Chain
During the presentation, María Luisa Albores explained that the collection target for this year is 270 tons of cocoa and that, so far, 224 tons have already been gathered, representing an investment of 59 million pesos. She also announced that the established prices will be:
- 220 pesos per kilogram for fermented dry cocoa
- 180 pesos per kilogram for washed and dried cocoa
“This proposal aims to increase cocoa collection year after year because the people here today are small cocoa producers,” she stated.
She also highlighted the strategic role of Tabasco within Mexico’s cocoa industry, noting that the state is the country’s largest cocoa producer. According to officials, strengthening the production chain could translate into significant benefits for small farmers and the local economy.
“Tabasco is the leading cocoa-producing state in Mexico, making this proposal and project extremely important,” Albores said.
She explained that the “Bienestar” collection centers help receive and process higher-quality cocoa through strict quality-control procedures, increasing its commercial value.
“Through the work carried out at the Bienestar collection centers, the best cocoa can be selected because producers go through a quality process focused on proper product care,” she noted.
Regarding cocoa-based products, Albores stated that tests conducted by Profeco delivered positive results.
“Based on Profeco’s studies, our chocolate performed very well. Their tests confirmed that we comply with labeling and quality regulations and ranked our products among the best evaluated,” she said.
New Eco-Friendly Chocolate Plant Planned
Officials also announced that Governor Javier May donated a 2.3-hectare property with a 6,400-square-meter building to develop an environmentally friendly chocolate production plant that will create jobs for the local population.
The project will include:
- An industrial production facility
- A warehouse
- A logistics and operations yard
- An environmentally focused water-treatment system
Authorities reported that construction of the chocolate plant will begin in September of this year, with inauguration planned for the first half of 2027.
The project involves an investment of 110 million pesos and will initially process 600 tons of dry cocoa, with plans to expand production capacity to 1,000 tons by 2030.
Expanding the Cocoa Value Chain
Meanwhile, Katia Ornelas presented the cocoa value chain being developed in the state, which includes:
- Federal and state “Sembrando Vida” programs
- More than 800 farmer learning communities
- Agroforestry systems focused on cocoa production
- Construction of community nurseries
- Technical assistance for producers
“This year we achieved the geographical indication certification for Chontalpa cocoa. This gives us traceability, certification, and allows us to guarantee better prices for small producers in the international market,” the tourism secretary explained.
She also highlighted the international recognition earned by Tabasco cocoa and its diversification into products such as cosmetics, traditional chocolate, and artisanal beverages.
In addition, she mentioned the importance of the Festival del Chocolate as a platform for international promotion and cooperation, featuring participation from more than ten countries.
Source: sinembargo
