Study of Cost and Return for Cocoa Products: A Case Study of SMCE Cocoa Chiang Rai

Abstract

The objectives of the research article was to analyze the value added of cocoa products and assess the cost-benefit of cocoa products. Interviews and a sub-group meeting of 15 cocoa growers, processors, and distributors were used to collect data on the value chain of cocoa production in Chiang Rai province. Gather information on the cocoa production process, beginning production costs, and selling prices for items derived from the entire cocoa producing system, such as fresh cocoa fruits, fresh beans, fresh cocoa juice, cocoa nibs dry seeds, cocoa nibs powder, seed husks, cocoa mass, chocolate bars, and drinks. Analyze data and create a prototype method for calculating the cost of cocoa products and Analyze the value added and assess the cost-benefit of cocoa products. Regarding the results of the added value analysis, output volume, cost, selling price, gross profit, and added value in each stage of cocoa production processing in the case where farmers produce by themselves in the Chiang Rai Cocoa Community Enterprise Network, calculating the added value of the product at each stage revealed that 100 kg of fresh cocoa fruit, cocoa nibs, and cocoa nib powder would result in a value-added of 207.60 to 247.72 after processing (% of fresh fruit). When processed into cocoa mass, it could create a value added of 294.80 to 1,098.25 (% of fresh fruit) and fresh cocoa juice separated from the cocoa bean shell, and it could be used as an ingredient in food and beverages and ready-to-eat chocolate bars. During the process of unpacking the cocoa fruit to separate the seeds prior to the fermentation process, it was discovered that if farmers could sell fresh cocoa juice for 80 baht/kg, it would generate a value added of 9.54 (% of the fresh fruit), and if fresh cocoa juice was processed for cocoa syrup, it could be sold for 1,500 baht/kg. It added 24.43 percent of fresh cocoa value. Developing new products from leftover materials from the processing process was a way to create value-added value in fresh cocoa production and sustainability in the cocoa production system. The cost benefit of cocoa syrup products was assessed by considering the use of information to make decisions, the majority of which was accounting information, which consisted of two parts: qualitative information that was not related to numbers and is not measured in monetary terms, such as economic, social, political, and competitive conditions, employee cooperation, business relationships with customers, etc., and quantitative information that was related to numbers and was measured in monetary terms. As a result, value-added analysis using qualitative and quantitative data was used to assess the cost-benefit of cocoa products. It entailed deciding on the method of acquiring seedlings and deciding on the method of obtaining raw materials for the production process, namely bringing fresh cocoa fruit into the production process by deciding which option is better: buying fresh fruit for production or producing the entire system.