CHOCOLATE LOVERS IN FOR A TREAT AS QUEENSLAND MOVES CLOSER TO A COCOA INDUSTRY
Published Thursday, 05 April, 2007 at 11:43 AM
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries
The Honourable Tim Mulherin
Life is sweet in the Sunshine State, but it could get a whole lot sweeter as the establishment of a north Queensland cocoa industry moves closer to reality.
Commercialisation trials start in north Queensland this week as the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries release 2000 cocoa seedlings as a part of a joint project with Cadbury Schweppes.
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said the aim was to establish up to 10,000 cocoa seedlings for distribution to cooperating growers in the Innisfail and Ingham districts as a test into the viability of a commercial cocoa industry in far north Queensland
“Cadbury Schweppes and DPI&F have identified an opportunity for Australia to provide a quality cocoa crop with consistent supply,” Mr Mulherin said.
“DPI&F have coordinated the import of cocoa seed from PNG's Cocoa and Coconut Institute and the seedlings are being raised by a commercial banana nursery located in Mission Beach.”
Mr Mulherin said four growers, three in the Innisfail district and one in Ingham, have agreed to plant one ha or more of cocoa.
“The climate in the far north is good for growing cocoa with the added advantages of a lack of serious pests and diseases of cocoa, including the destructive cocoa pod borer.”
The commercialisation phase is a result of preliminary research trials which Cadbury Schweppes Australia and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) have funded in conjunction with DPI&F.
DPI&F Regional Industries Development Officer Yan Diczbalis said the current round of cocoa trials began in 2000 on two one-hectare plots of land, one at Mossman and the other at South Johnstone Research Station.
“We have established that from a growing perspective, cocoa does well in our far north Queensland environment, and that we can get close to 3 t/ha of dry bean per year,” Mr Diczbalis said.
“By world standards, that is a very high yield and the quality is commercially acceptable, which gave us the confidence to go ahead with the trials.”
Other developments in the North Queensland cocoa industry include moves from Cocoa Australia, who commenced commercialisation of cocoa production and processing in Mossman in 2005. The company continues to recruit growers in the Mossman area.
Partnering with Mossman Sugar Mill, Cocoa Australia is establishing cocoa processing facilities as well as their own planting.
“Consumers can expect to see Australian chocolate on shelves within the next two to three years, however the market will initially be niche-based,”
Mr Mulherin said.
“DPI&F endeavour to create and support emerging and innovative primary industries in Queensland and home-grown cocoa will certainly be a first for Australia.”
In the lead-up to the completion of the project the Department is producing a ‘Cocoa Growing Guide for Australia’ that will include all the findings and experience gained from the work.
The current research project is due to end in June 2007 with the commercialisation phase starting now.
Media: 323 96530
Photo of cocoa seedlings available on request
Commercialisation trials start in north Queensland this week as the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries release 2000 cocoa seedlings as a part of a joint project with Cadbury Schweppes.
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said the aim was to establish up to 10,000 cocoa seedlings for distribution to cooperating growers in the Innisfail and Ingham districts as a test into the viability of a commercial cocoa industry in far north Queensland
“Cadbury Schweppes and DPI&F have identified an opportunity for Australia to provide a quality cocoa crop with consistent supply,” Mr Mulherin said.
“DPI&F have coordinated the import of cocoa seed from PNG's Cocoa and Coconut Institute and the seedlings are being raised by a commercial banana nursery located in Mission Beach.”
Mr Mulherin said four growers, three in the Innisfail district and one in Ingham, have agreed to plant one ha or more of cocoa.
“The climate in the far north is good for growing cocoa with the added advantages of a lack of serious pests and diseases of cocoa, including the destructive cocoa pod borer.”
The commercialisation phase is a result of preliminary research trials which Cadbury Schweppes Australia and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) have funded in conjunction with DPI&F.
DPI&F Regional Industries Development Officer Yan Diczbalis said the current round of cocoa trials began in 2000 on two one-hectare plots of land, one at Mossman and the other at South Johnstone Research Station.
“We have established that from a growing perspective, cocoa does well in our far north Queensland environment, and that we can get close to 3 t/ha of dry bean per year,” Mr Diczbalis said.
“By world standards, that is a very high yield and the quality is commercially acceptable, which gave us the confidence to go ahead with the trials.”
Other developments in the North Queensland cocoa industry include moves from Cocoa Australia, who commenced commercialisation of cocoa production and processing in Mossman in 2005. The company continues to recruit growers in the Mossman area.
Partnering with Mossman Sugar Mill, Cocoa Australia is establishing cocoa processing facilities as well as their own planting.
“Consumers can expect to see Australian chocolate on shelves within the next two to three years, however the market will initially be niche-based,”
Mr Mulherin said.
“DPI&F endeavour to create and support emerging and innovative primary industries in Queensland and home-grown cocoa will certainly be a first for Australia.”
In the lead-up to the completion of the project the Department is producing a ‘Cocoa Growing Guide for Australia’ that will include all the findings and experience gained from the work.
The current research project is due to end in June 2007 with the commercialisation phase starting now.
Media: 323 96530
Photo of cocoa seedlings available on request