Cocoa yields over 450,000 tonnes in last decade: Stats

A TOTAL of 457,249 tonnes of cocoa was produced in PNG over the  last decade, according to cocoa board statistics.
The Cocoa Board of PNG released figures recently showing production from 2006 to 2015 in the provinces that produced cocoa.
Bougainville was the leading producer which accounted for 33 per cent of the total.
It was followed by East New Britain (24 per cent), East Sepik (23 per cent), Madang (10 per cent),  Morobe (three per cent), West Sepik, West New Britain and New Ireland (two per cent each).
Cocoa exports during the period totalled 434,368 tonnes.
Export earnings over period was K2,411,489.
NGIP Agmark was the dominant exporter and accounted for 51 per cent of total exports, Outspan Ltd followed (17 per cent), PNG Breit Ltd (12 per cent), others (10 per cent), Monpi Cocoa Exports (six  per cent) and Waiyu Ltd (four per cent).
Malaysia accounted for the largest share of the country’s cocoa exports.