Cocoa production on NMI eyed

Citing the impact locally processed products would have on the economy, the Northern Marianas College’s Cooperative Research, Extension and Education Service is currently conducting a feasibility study that hopefully would promote commercial processing of cocoa and coffee on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

This is according to NMC-CREES associate director Edgar Cocker, who said during a recent interview that samples from locally processed cocoa have been sent to the University of Hawaii for nutritional value information. The sample of ground cocoa was sent Friday by Commonwealth Development Authority, which Cocker said sought assistance through CREES for research on the product.

“We’re interested to see if the [cocoa] industry can develop here,” he said. “It’s probably too early to speculate anything…but I still believe there is the opportunity to push for it.”

Cocker said the idea of the local production of cocoa stemmed from the Department of Interior-sponsored business meeting in Los Angeles last year. He said CDA personnel were approached and enlightened on the idea during the meeting.

Cocker said that like other areas in the world, there is a high demand for cocoa and coffee on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

“We have over 500,000 visitors a year to the CNMI. They drink coffee and consume cocoa products. Even the people here like it. There is big market for cocoa because everybody eats chocolate,” he said.

Cocker said that if the idea materializes, reliance on imported goods might be reduced and local products would be purchased.

“We rely so much on imported goods when we can do it right here,” Cocker said during an interview. “We have the means to do it and in the process, keep the dollars here while at the same time, make it possible for exporting of the product.”

Cocker said the production and processing of the products on island would also increase employment.

He also disclosed that cocoa is already being grown at the NMC-CREES nursery at the school campus.

Meanwhile, Cocker said studies are being done for the production of lowland coffee, Robusta Arabica.

He said several farmers have already began planting coffee while others have expressed interest in buying cherries for planting.

“Yes, there is the opportunity. Imagine how much coffee we are importing,” he said. (Shan Seman)