Agronomist commends Jimi people cocoa farming

Cocoa farming will give people of remote Jimi in Jiwaka more economic opportunities, says PNG Cocoa Board (PNGCB) agronomist and executive manager research extension and development services David Yinil.
He said this during a visit to the Jugomb Cocoa Development Institute in Jugomb village, Lower Jimi, last Wednesday.
Yinil was assisted by MP Wake Goi and PNGCB project manager Trevor Clarke.
He commended farmers for planting more than 7000 cocoa trees, some of which had produced beans while others were still in nursery.
Yinil said cocoa would now become a commodity that could be grown in the Highlands, with Karamui in Chimbu and Jimi taking the lead.
“We will continue to ensure that this project will extend and reach out,” he said.
“It is the same as coffee or peanuts, which people are good at planting.”
He said the maximum altitude for cocoa used to be 600 metres above sea level. But in Karamui, cocoa was growing very well at 1000m.
Yinil said this gave the board confidence to extend into other Highlands valleys and provinces.
Goi said the Department of National Planning had made available K6 million for cocoa projects in his electorate.
He said this funding would be used on feasibility studies, nurseries and other areas to roll out cocoa in Jimi.
Goi said he would build a road from Baiyer in Western Highlands to Jimi to help farmers transport their produce to market.
He said a cocoa factory would be built at Lower Jimi.
Goi said this infrastructure would take shape once production rate was high and farmers needed a market.
“In the meantime, I have subsidised the airfares for Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), so farmers can take their produce to the market,” he said.
“I’m confident that Jimi will have a successful commercial cocoa industry.”
Goi assured the people that three footbridges would soon be built across the Jim River to help them to transport their cocoa beans.