Extension programmes lift industry’s value to K28mil

THE Morobe regional cocoa board’s extension programme has yielded favourable results, taking the industry value to well over K28 million in 2019, an official says.
Regional manager Anthon Ningi said to date, the cocoa board in Morobe registered 1,126 fermentries and was more than 4,000 tonnes each year since 2016.
According to Ningi, cocoa board had partnered with several districts, establishing nurseries and fermentries and planting materials or budwoods.
He said the partnership was driving district economies such as in Markham, particularly Umi-Atzera local level government.
“Markham gets about 37 per cent of the cocoa revenue and this money is being translated into infrastructural developments such as banks and attracts investors and more cocoa exporters into the district,” he said.
Ningi said due to few setbacks, the projected target of 5,000 tonnes in this year might not be reached.
But they still expected more than 4,000 tonnes.
“Funding has always been a constraint. But that has not stopped the cocoa board in its function,” he said.
He said the Garaina, Garasa and Omora projects established in 2015 had begun harvesting, producing 2.5 tonnes last month alone.
“We are now rehabilitating the nurseries at these project sites,” he said.
“Each nursery is 10,000 capacity, so when we’re done, there will be 40,000 cocoa plants for the second time around.”