Langkawi chocolate hub expected to boost cocoa products manufacturing sector

He said the hub would boost the development of the downstream cocoa sector and promote locally made chocolate, further contributing to the development of production activities of chocolate products.

According to him, the manufacturing of chocolate and cocoa products sector recorded an export value of RM1.14 billion, which was 17.3 per cent in 2019, an increase of 10.6 per cent compared to the previous year.

"Langkawi chocolate hub is a method to promote the country's cocoa manufacturing and products sector. We will build a local network by providing various facilities. As a first step, each participant involved will receive a grant of RM3,000," he said.

He said this at a press conference after the closing ceremony of the Basic Course on the Development of Handmade Chocolate Entrepreneurs and the Launch of Langkawi as a Chocolate Hub, here today.

Also present were Kedah Industrial and Investment, Science, Technology and Innovation, and Higher Education Committee chairman Datuk Dr Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail and Malaysian Cocoa Board chairman Dr Aliakbar Gulasan.

Commenting on the selection of Langkawi as a chocolate hub, Mohd Khairuddin said it was in line with the development of the duty-free island as the country's most famous resort with a tourist influx of more than 3.6 million people since 2014 and almost four million in 2019.

"The Langkawi chocolate hub is also in line with the ministry's intention to make Malaysia the 'King of Chocolate' in the Asian region," he said.