Cocoa farmers recieve K65,000 in premiums

COCOA farmers in Madang have received K65,000 in premiums through the Rainforest Alliance programme.
Outspan PNG Limited’s operations manager Basavaraj Mashetty said 104 fermentery owners from Transgogol were paid on Dec 14 at the Outspan warehouse in Madang town.
He said the company began the programme in East Sepik, in 2013 and then in Madang in 2014.
He said the farmer group in East Sepik would receive K100,000 in premiums this year.
He said the decision to deliver such a programme to farmers was in line with the company’s commitment to being reliable and responsible.
“We are not a company that just sits in town and expects farmers to bring cocoa to us. We go to farmers and build capacity to take ownership of cocoa farming,” he said.
“We feel it is our responsibility to support farmers who are our loyal suppliers through programmes like this.”
He challenged the farmers to maintain their relationship with the company and to consistently supply cocoa to Outspan.
Principal adviser to the Madang division of the department of agriculture and livestock Godfried Savi commended the contributions by Outspan in cocoa development in the province.
Savi urged farmers to maintain their cocoa blocks.