As a high-quality cocoa producer Vietnam is capable of creating some the best types of chocolate in the world, according to Gricha Safarian, general manager of Puratos Grand-Place, speaking at the Vietnam Cocoa Conference on November 18.

Safarian, who is also the honorary consul of Belgium in Ho Chi Minh City, stated that Belgian businesses are willing to provide necessary financial support to Vietnamese farmers by purchasing their various cocoa products to revive the agricultural product market as the sector strives to move past the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Belgian Ambassador Paul Jansen was in agreement with this  view, emphasising that there exists great potential for Vietnamese chocolate to gain a reputation as a high-quality product in the international market due to its efforts to include new and unique flavours, such as local fruits.

The Belgian diplomat pointed out that amid the global market facing an array of challenges, Vietnam can develop a range of unique and high-quality cocoa products, contributing to attracting additional chocolate manufacturers and customers from around the world.

The Vietnam Cocoa Conference was held within the framework of a strategic partnership agreement on agriculture between the Governments of Vietnam and Belgium, in co-ordination with the Embassy of Belgium and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The conference aimed to provide an ideal venue for policymakers, researchers and international development partners to share their expertise to develop the domestic cocoa industry in a sustainable manner, thereby building a unique brand for local cocoa products among the global market.