Cocoa farmers in country accessing cocoa dryers

FIFTY-TWO communal solar combination and pre-fabricated cocoa dryers have been established in districts throughout the country to help farmers with cocoa production, an official says.
Cocoa board of Papua New Guinea (CBPNG) chief executive Boto Gaupu said through a proper or organised marketing system and network, farmer groups were now able to bargain for good prices for their cocoa with exporters and earn more than what they would if sold individually.
“As part of the sustainability aspect of work, farmers now have been mobilised and are encouraged to open bank accounts which they can also have access to credit facilities under the financial inclusion partnership programme between CBPNG and MiBank,” Gaupu said.
He said farmers engaged in cocoa under the new scale down productive partnership in agriculture project (PPAP) had been incorporated into the cocoa nursery project (CNP) to sustain farmer groups.
Gaupu said through the operation of PNG Agriculture Company (PNGAC), all farmers would be taught business concepts and be part of a commercial business entity that would change the way farmers farmed cocoa and to get them to benefit more from the cocoa value chain.
Gaupu said PNGAC was a private company initiated by CBPNG and 100 per cent owned by the farmers.
Meanwhile, he said the board would continue to work on the four regional research and development centres to make cocoa planting materials accessible to farmers.