By JASON SOM KAUT
MORE than two million cocoa trees have been planted in Morobe during the past 10 years but production is three times less than the expected output of 2,000 tonnes.
The production potential of hybrid cocoa trees is two tonnes per hectare but improper block management, use of wrong planting material and lack of extension services has stagnated cocoa growth.
These figures are from the Cocoa and Coconut Institute (CCI), excluding cocoa farmers who obtained their planting materials from other sources.
Momase regional manager Peter Homu made these revelations following the announcement by the Morobe provincial administration and the National Development Bank (NDB) to establish a cocoa export company to be owned by the people.
“Total provincial production is a low 1.8 metric tonnes. Total trees planted during the past 10 years should give us some 3,000 tonnes of dry bean cocoa annually,” Mr Homu said.
“Setting up a cocoa export company is the way forward but we need to increase production to 2,000 tonnes-plus as a safe point to meet export demands.
“Quality also needs to be maintained to keep the market open.”
Morobe smallholder production is currently only 0.3 metric tonnes, the Markham Farms produces some 900 tonnes yearly with the balance from other cocoa farmers who obtains planting materials elsewhere.
“Half of the cocoa planted in the last 10 years is wasted because of market accessibility problems and lack of sufficient extension services,” Mr Homu said.
“It also boils down to farmers not knowing how to properly manage their blocks,” he said, adding that many farmers do not have access to get proper planting materials.
“If CCI is given more support, it can focus on increasing farmers’ capacity in knowing the cropping cycle and putting the right input at the right time and increase the 0.3 tonnes to 0.5 tonnes,” Mr Homu said.
Agmark, one of existing cocoa exporters, currently buys a cocoa bag at about K240 each seeing farmers reaping only half of their labour’s worth.
Directly exporting will see them earn three times more at current world market rates.