Wednesday March 22, 2006
Help offer for cocoa, coffee industry
By MUGUNTAN VANAR
KOTA KINABALU: Venezuela is prepared to help in the downstream processing of Sabah’s cocoa and coffee industry.
The offer comes from its new Chargé d’Affaires in Kuala Lumpur, Manuel Guzman, who said his country could assist Malaysian businessmen in Sabah produce export-quality chocolates from locally produced cocoa and help coffee growers try higher-quality strains.
“Not much is known about our chocolate, but I can assure you it can compete with the best from other chocolate-producing nations. We are a cocoa producer ourselves,” he said.
Guzman said Venezuela was also noted for its aromatic coffee beans, which are roasted fresh at five-star hotels across the globe.
He said that Venezuela and Malaysia had lots in common – a population of 25 million, both were oil-producing nations with agriculture as a key sector and mining being a major contributor to GDP.
According to Guzman, Malaysia exports a sizeable amount of rubber and rubber products, shoes, textiles and electronic products, semi conductors and microchips to his country and in return Malaysia imported iron, steel, aluminium and bauxite, among others.
When told that Sabah hosts an international folklore festival, Guzman said that Venezuelan traditional dances were colourful and he would very much like an invitation extended to his country.
Guzman plans to host a “Venezuela Week” in Kuala Lumpur showcasing the nation’s food, music, culture and industry, and Kota Kinabalu will be among other venues for the event.
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