Coalition sweetener for NW

WA could be an unexpected beneficiary of the nation's chocolate cravings, with Tony Abbott pledging cash for a trial to grow cocoa trees in the Ord River to feed Cadbury's plant in Tasmania.

Mr Abbott pledged $16 million to help upgrade the Cadbury plant in Hobart as part of efforts to boost tourism and employment in the Apple Isle.

Part of the funding will go to a trial to grow cocoa trees in northern WA. Currently, all cocoa for the Hobart Cadbury plant comes from Ghana.

The coalition did not say how much of the $16 million in funds would go to the Ord river trial.

Cocoa is not commercially cultivated in Australia but it is successfully grown in Indonesia and Malaysia.

During campaigning two weeks ago, Kevin Rudd committed to stage three of the Ord River irrigation project, setting aside money for a local indigenous group to help settle native title claims.