KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia is eyeing an expansion of its cocoa production for higher-value chocolate products and to reduce import dependence, an official said on Saturday.
Expanding cocoa cultivation in the northern Borneo states of Sarawak and Sabah, the country's main cocoa-producing states, could increase local raw material supplies, Shari Fuddin Sha'ari, acting director-general of the Malaysian Cocoa Board, said at the launch of "A Malaysian Cocoa Affair 2026."
"We hope increased local production will help narrow the supply gap for dried cocoa beans from overseas. This will also create greater economic opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs through the production of downstream products," he said.
Shari Fuddin said the board is pioneering chocolate production using Sarawak cocoa beans through a single-origin approach, with dried beans from four locations processed at a cluster cooperative research center in Sarawak. ■