TCGA holds Annual General Meeting

By on January 20, 2014

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Toledo Cacao Growers Association (TCGA), was held on Saturday at the Jullian Cho Technical High School Auditorium.

The AGM was attended by over 500 members of the Association and heard reports from the president and treasurer.

 In his report, the president Eugenio Ah told the gathering that the Association is about to complete the Maya House of Culture and Chocolate Museum.

The facility is being built at mile 18 on the San Antonio Road and will benefit the cacao farmers of the Toledo district.

Funded by TCGA and the European Union, construction of the Museum started in 2011 as part of a 6-phase project implementation.

These include the design and construction of the Maya House of Culture and Chocolate Museum, Cacao field Rehabilitation, Cacao field Management, Education in Agriculture Business Basics/Entrepreneurship, Project Management, Evaluation and Dissemination and Cacao Value-Added Processing.

When the treasurer presented his report, it was noted that the association recorded 30% loss, which is attributed to competition.

Of note is that the TCGA believes that the loss that was recorded last year is due to some members actively supporting competitors, which is against the policies of the Association.

It was stressed that for the Association to continue to be viable, members will have to give all of their support to their association since the TCGA would buy dry and wet seeds at a reasonable price as compared to the others who would pay higher but depends on foreign funds which could one day come to an end.

TCGA executives say the Association makes payment based on international market demand.

The guest speaker at the AGM was the Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture Jose Alpuche who challenged the cacao farmers to fully support their association.

Alpuche pledged the support of his ministry in order for the Association to develop and venture into more by-products.

Also in attendance at Saturday’s AGM were the Chief Agriculture Officer Roberto Harrison, the Director of Extension Services and Cooperatives Officers from Toledo district who conducted the election of officers.

There were no challengers to the three persons nominated and they were confirmed in their post as members of the TCGA executive.

                                                                                       

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