Planting pattern and planting system are the main factors in inter-cropping systems. It determines the optimum number of plant stand and thus the economic return from the combination of crop mix. Cocoa can also be intercropped with other economic crops to increase returns from the planted area. However, lack of knowledge in crop mix, pattern and system will only create competition to cocoa.

One of the main activity under the Division of Transfer Technology is responsible to give advise on the subject related on the setting up of Small Medium Enterprise in the production of Handmade chocolate and other related cocoa based products.

a)Introduction of the chocolate or cocoa base business

b)Assist entrepreneur in getting supply of raw materials, like chocolate blocks, ingredients and packaging materials for the making of chocolates.

c)Advising entrepreneurs of the out sources of suppliers for getting raw materials in making chocolate products like praline, truffles etc.

d)Giving advise on the design and standard procedure of suitable packaging materials needed for wrapping chocolate products.

e)Market segmentation – Malaysian Cocoa Board providing an outlet at Langkawi Island on one of the entrepreneur premises converted as a sale and information centre foe Handmade Malaysian Chocolate.

f)Product Expansion – Coordinate with Malaysian Cocoa Board officers who advised related on new products or recipes of cocoa based developed through Research and Development activities.

Pod sleeving is part of the inter-grated pest management component that is environmentally safe and user friendly. Sleeving is a simple technology in Cocoa Pod Borer control measures. A device of pod sleever was developed by LKM and it is recommended to reduce the CPB infestation and the cost of chemical control.

In immature cocoa planting, weed can be a major component in labor requirements in the cost of production. Weeds without control may affect plant growth and yield production. Indiscriminate and prolonged use of weedicide may affect the soil structure and residual contamination in cocoa farms. Technology on weed control is available to the farmers on request and scheduled training programs.

Fermentation and drying technologies are essential in the production of quality beans. Proper fermentation technique will ensure the development of good chocolate flavors and good drying technique will retain the flavor and good quality characteristics. These techniques are available and farmers are encouraged to adopt these technologies to fetch good farm gate price.