Chulalongkorn University and Department of Industrial Promotion Announce Success in Boosting Cocoa Value with Technology and Innovation 

Chulalongkorn University, in collaboration with the Innovative Agriculture-Industry, Department of Industrial Promotion, held a closing ceremony for the development of targeted processed agricultural products “Cocoa” and a press conference to announce the success of this activity on September 20, 2024, at the 1st-floor hall of Mahamakut Building, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University.  

The event included a ceremony to present certificates to 17 businesses that participated in the project, and a ceremony to award outstanding product plaques to 3 businesses. Additionally, there were booths displaying beverages, food, and cosmetic products from 17 participating SMEs and community enterprises that took part in this project. 

The efficient reform of Thailand’s agricultural sector is a crucial issue requiring collaboration from all sectors to elevate agricultural business operations. The key strategy relies on creating and developing agriculture towards a new era of agro-industry with business concepts, knowledge in product processing, product standards, financial and cost management, and efficient crop planning. “Cocoa” is one of the crops of the future, capable of being processed into various products such as Super Food and cosmetic products. As a result, cocoa cultivation areas have been continuously increasing. Thailand has a geographical advantage in that cacao can be grown in every region. Currently, the government has implemented a policy to rapidly enhance the potential of the cocoa industry nationwide towards becoming the ASEAN Cocoa Hub (THAI COCOA HUB) in the future. 

The Innovative Agriculture-Industry, Department of Industrial Promotion, has conducted the “Target Processed Agricultural Product Development Activity (Cocoa)” under the project to elevate agricultural products to agro-industry. Faculty members from the Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, provide consultation on technology and innovation, safe and standardized packaging, marketing, and finance. This is to enhance and create added value for cocoa products, promote the development and processing of agricultural products to have high value, meet standards, and align with market demands that can lead to commercial production. 

In this event, Prof. Dr. Voravee Hoven, Acting Deputy Dean for Research Affairs and Head of the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, delivered a welcome speech which was followed by a report by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jirarat Anuntagool from the Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Science, and Head of the Elevation of Agricultural Products to Agro-Industry Project, and a remark on the success of the project and a closing remark by Dr. Kittichote Supakumnerd, Director of Innovative Agriculture-Industry.   

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