Dong Nai: Cooperation in Producing Biochar from Cocoa Husks
On November 3, a delegation of businesses from Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, visited and conducted a field survey of the process of converting cocoa husks into biochar under a circular agriculture model at Trong Duc Cocoa Company Limited in Phu Hoa Commune, Dong Nai City. The initiative aims to reduce emissions and protect the environment.
The delegation visits the cocoa husk drying area, where the material is prepared for biochar production.
The delegation surveyed and learned about the process of converting cocoa husks into biochar. They also explored the results of using biochar produced from cocoa husks in cocoa seedling production and cultivation.
Trong Duc Cocoa Company Limited is a pioneering enterprise in Dong Nai City in developing specialized cocoa-growing areas. To date, the company has developed more than 1,300 hectares of cocoa-growing material areas nationwide, including nearly 820 hectares in Dong Nai City.
The company has signed agreements with farmers to purchase cocoa beans at favorable prices and invested in a processing plant to produce value-added cocoa products such as chocolate, cocoa powder, cakes, and confectionery.
Its products are well received in both domestic and export markets. The company's processing operations also generate a substantial amount of agricultural by-products, with cocoa husks alone accounting for approximately 6,000 tons per year.
The delegation visits a machine used to produce biochar from cocoa husks and other agricultural by-products.
For more than a year, Trong Duc Cocoa Company Limited and Tromso Joint Stock Company (Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan) have been working together on a project to process cocoa husks into biochar, apply biochar in agriculture, and develop carbon credits.
Tromso Joint Stock Company will invest in machinery and technology for producing biochar from cocoa husks. In the initial phase, the processing capacity is expected to reach approximately 6,000 tons of cocoa husks per year.
During the first two years of the project, the biochar produced will be supplied free of charge to cocoa farmers participating in Trong Duc Cocoa Company's production linkage network.
In addition to cocoa husks, the project will also expand its use of other agricultural by-products available in large quantities in Dong Nai, such as durian husks and coffee husks, to produce biochar.
Biochar produced by burning cocoa husks.
The project is conducting trials to evaluate the use of biochar made from cocoa husks as a soil amendment in cocoa seedling production and cocoa tree cultivation.
Initial results have confirmed the benefits of biochar application, including improving plants' nutrient absorption, loosening soil structure, promoting better cocoa tree growth, and increasing crop yields.
This collaborative project not only brings benefits to businesses but also supports thousands of cocoa farmers participating in the production linkage network by providing access to biochar to improve soil quality and enhance the efficiency of cocoa cultivation.
Dang Tuong Khanh, Chairman of the Members' Council of Trong Duc Cocoa Company Limited, explains how biochar helps cocoa seedlings grow more effectively.
The project aims to establish a circular agricultural model with zero greenhouse gas emissions, helping farmers increase their income while developing a sustainable value chain from cultivation and processing to export.
This initiative is part of a conference promoting cooperation between Dong Nai City and Hiroshima Prefecture in areas including high-tech agriculture, agricultural by-product and waste treatment and recycling, environmental monitoring, biological agricultural inputs, and sustainable development.
Source: baodongnai.com.vn