South Sulawesi's firm sells cocoa to Brazil

South Sulawesi's firm sells cocoa to Brazil

UJUNG PANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): South Sulawesi provincial
government firm CV Multi Jasa has exported 4,000 tons of cocoa
beans worth US$4.6 million to Brazil.

The company's president, Halim Razak, said Thursday the
shipment was the first delivery of cocoa exports from the
province to Brazil.

"This is an acknowledgement of the quality of South Sulawesi's
cocoa since Brazil is known as a country which imposes strict
regulations on cocoa imports," Halim said.

The cocoa was taken by NV Cape Moreton from the Makassar port
to Brazil on Wednesday.

Halim said Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture officials visited
South Sulawesi in 1995 to see if the cocoa growing areas were
free from pests and disease.

Brazil introduced strict regulations for cocoa imports in 1995
after it found some problems with the 5,000 tons of cocoa beans
from the Ivory Coast.

Brazil expects 15,000-ton shortage this year.

The Brazilian government announced early this month it had
authorized three companies, including the Brazilian arm of the
Swiss food giant Nestle, to cocoa beans from a particular
Indonesian area. But it did not name the area.

Razak said the company and the Ujungpandang plant quarantine
office carefully controlled the quality of the 4,000 tons of
cocoa before it was shipped Wednesday.

"We hope future exports will also be successful," said Razak.

Indonesia is the world's third largest cocoa maker after the
Ivory Coast and Ghana.

Indonesia expects to increase cocoa bean production to 325,000
tons this year from 295,000 tons last year.

Indonesia exports cocoa beans to 20 countries including the
United States, Germany, Britain, Singapore and China. (jsk/37)