On June 3-4, the North Luwu Regency Government, in collaboration with IBCSD, TFA, PISAgro, CSP, Solidaridad, and the European Union Delegation, held a Cocoa Jurisdiction Dialogue as part of the Sustainable Agriculture for Forest Ecosystems (SAFE) program. The SAFE initiative aims to promote sustainable, legal, and deforestation-free cocoa commodities. The Luwu Utara Regency was chosen as the location for the dialogue due to its significant contribution to national cocoa production. Moreover, Luwu Utara has prioritized cocoa sector development through its vision of "Sustainable Cocoa, Prosperous People." Cocoa accounts for 22% of the region's GDP, and many of its products have already entered the European market. Luwu Utara is a prominent supplier of sustainable and deforestation-free cocoa, providing products to several international brands sold in European markets. Therefore, it is essential to address the global market demand in the production of sustainable, legal, and deforestation-free cocoa products.

The Program Manager for Forestry, Natural Resources, and Energy at the European Union Delegation to Indonesia, Eloise O'Carroll, has stated that global demand for sustainable cocoa continues to rise, presenting an opportunity for regional economic growth. The Netherlands, Germany, Estonia, Spain, and France are the leading consumers of cocoa from Indonesia. Despite the rising demand, in 2024, total cocoa imports from Indonesia to the European Union only accounted for 5% of the market, indicating a relatively small share. The import value was recorded at EUR 223 million. The Ministry of Agriculture is encouraging the acceleration of the issuance of the Electronic Cultivation Registration Certificate (e-STDB), as it is a key requirement for entering the global market. During this dialogue event, training on the use of the e-STDB platform was conducted for farmers and extension workers, along with the identification of cooperation opportunities for cocoa development under the social forestry scheme, strengthening farmers' access to seeds and fertilizers, and technical training.

Source: https://celebes.inews.id/amp/606553/luwu-utara-dorong-kakao-berkelanjutan-untuk-tembus-pasar-eropa