Belgium company keen to use E.Sepik grown cocoa

The National Business

By SYLVESTER WEMURU
A COMPANY is working in partnership with farmers from Yangoru-Saussia, East Sepik, to manufacture chocolate from cocoa they produce on their farms.
Puratos, a chocolate manufacturing company from Belgium, is keen to use Papua New Guinea cocoa in its products and visited farmers in East Sepik.
Company representatives visited cocoa farmers from Negire and Yehimbolle Census in East Yangoru local level government, and Nidipole and Nampari villages in West Yangoru.
They were involved in picking the cocoa, removing the beans from the pod and taking the beans to be fermented and dried.
The tour was arranged by the Yangoru Cocoa Development Project (Yekere Co-operative Society Ltd) in partnership with Outspan PNG Ltd under a public-and-private arrangement.
The group, with the help of promoting partner Outspan, worked with around 1,000 farmers to improve cocoa quality for the world market.
Puratos Cocoa Group manager Sylvester Awono, who is also responsible for Cacao-Trace Business Development, said if Vietnam could produce high quality cocoa through the sun dry system than Yekere Co-operative could also do it.
Awono said sun drying was one of the best ways to minimise labour output and maintain quality.

3 comments

  • East Sepik Province will develop more through Agriculture. The Governor of East Sepik and other members of ESP are on the right track. PNG gained independence through agriculture and if we go back to agriculture, we will own the economy. Laga Industries recently announced that it will be using East Sepik Vanilla for its ice cream products and Mr. Allan Bird was the man behind finding market place for farmers in East Sepik. Hope other MPs learn from Mr. Allan Bird’s Vision.

  • Was in the village, at Baimuru meeting, with Wilson, the yekere group’s resolution for k1000. 00 per fermentry was not carried out. We then went into Outspan shoes until now. Hope we make it.

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