Growing cocoa in H’lands surprising

KARAMUI cocoa farmers from Chimbu stole the show at the Air Niugini Cocoa Warwagira in Kokopo, East New Britain, with their big cocoa beans.
The farmers told of how it was possible to grow cocoa in the highlands at an altitude of 15,000 metres above sea level.
Team leader of the Karamui cocoa project John Komba said the thinking that cocoa could not be grown in the highlands had been proven wrong. They began planting cocoa in 2008 when the price of coffee was down.
They began with 26 hectares of hybrid clones.
He said they realised that the cocoa pods were very big compared to pods in other provinces. Beans in a pod totalled between 35 and 70.
They started off with 28 farmers and today there are 700 farmers producing 20 tonnes of cocoa.
He said about one million trees were growing in Karamui, Chuave and Kerowagi.
Some grow cocoa in their coffee blocks where they live.
He acknowledged the support of the Chimbu provincial government with K2 million, Karamui district administration with K300,000, ACIAR with K60,000 and PNG Cocoa Board with K100,000 for the cocoa freight programme.