On February 3, 2014 USAID/Peru launched the campaign “The Search for Peru’s Golden Cocoa 2014” (“Buscando el Cacao de Oro del Perú 2014”).  “Cacao de Oro 2014” is an initiative organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, DEVIDA, APPCACAO (the Peruvian Cacao growers association), and USAID.  This initiative will identify and catalogue cocoa from 14 regions, and conclude with the announcement of Peru’s best cocoa (Cacao de Oro) on October 1, 2014, the international day of cocoa.  The goal of the initiative is to recognize and preserve Peru’s biodiversity, while promoting Peru as a worldwide leader in high-quality cocoa.  Cocoa was recently declared a Peruvian flagship product and exports are expected to reach $150 million by year end.  U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, Michael J. Fitzpatrick, as well as Peru’s Prime Minister Cesar Villanueva, along with the Ministers of Agriculture, Interior, and the Executive President of Development and Life without Drugs (DEVIDA) attended the launching  of “Cacao de Oro 2014”.  During the event Prime Minister Villanueva stated, “If we come together with a common vision, donor countries, farmers, and Peruvian institutions we will defeat drug trafficking and illegal mining through development”.