Kakaw Konek 2026 to tackle how Davao's cacao industry can compete

Davao City will host Kakaw Konek 2026 on November 11 and 12, a cacao congress meant to strengthen the region's standing in domestic and global markets, according to Mindanao Times. The congress will be held at the Seda Hotel, while the accompanying Tsokolate Fiesta will run on the same dates at the Abreeza Mall Activity Center.

Wit Holganza, president of the Davao City Cacao Industry Development Association, said Davao Region produces roughly 70 percent of the Philippines' annual cacao output of about 18,000 metric tons. Despite this, she said, the region remains a net importer of cocoa powder. Speaking at the Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday, she called for stronger domestic consumption instead of continued dependence on imported inputs from Indonesia and Malaysia.

"We really need to have an annual conference. Otherwise, we will not be able to keep up with the demand," Holganza said.

Formally titled Kakaw Konek 2026: Davao Region Cacao Congress and Tsokolate Fiesta, the event will bring together players across the cacao value chain. Discussions will cover productivity, processing and quality, traceability, digitalization and innovation, market access, agritourism and business intelligence, and supply chain, capital and infrastructure. A Cacao Innovation Lab will let researchers, technology developers, institutions, industry partners and potential investors present proposed solutions. The congress is also expected to draw up recommended priority actions for the region's cacao development agenda for 2027 to 2030.

The Tsokolate Fiesta will feature local chocolate makers, value-added products and the region's cacao entrepreneurs. Holganza said the activities cap the 2026 Kasadya sa Kulturang Kakaw celebration, which treats cacao as a source of livelihood, enterprise, cultural identity and sustainable development, not just a crop.

Holganza said the congress will also take up regional self-sufficiency, including training farmers to move away from chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides toward natural microbes and regenerative soil management. She said heavy reliance on chemical fertilizers has raised operating costs and degraded soils, leaving local production exposed to global market swings.

The cacao council has worked with city agriculture offices and regional offices to run training workshops on regenerative farming, she said. Holganza added that planting other crops alongside cacao is critical to giving growers stable incomes and long-term resilience.