By ELIZABETH VUVU
NEW Ireland will witness its first ever cocoa export shipment out of Kavieng later this month.
Local agro-business company Tutuman Integrated Products Ltd will make the province’s debut cocoa export.
Tutuman managing director Pedi Anis confirmed the company’s cocoa buying for export.
The company, which had begun buying dried cocoa beans at its depot at the Kopkop agriculture station just outside of Kavieng, obtained its export licence recently.
Tutuman now becomes the second buyer of dried cocoa beans after Rabaul-based Agmark Pacific Ltd.
Agmark buys cocoa from New Ireland but exports it out of Rabaul.
He said Tutuman’s
other major aim in the export business was to ensure local level governments and the New Ireland provincial government benefit through derivation grants, as stipulated under the Organic Law.
Mr Anis said New Ireland had lost out on derivation grants as its cocoa produce was being exported from other provinces.
He said Tutuman’s move would ensure the province enjoy the full benefits of derivation grants that could go to community projects.
Mr Anis said they would also ensure that cocoa prices are competitive.