Farmers sell cocoa bags under freight subsidy scheme

COCOA farmers from Usino-Bundi in Madang have sold 85 bags of cocoa under a freight subsidy scheme.
According to the local MP Jimmy Uguro, the district development authority’s (DDA’s) freight subsidy scheme had been rolled out and had made it possible for local farmers in the electorate sell their cocoa in their district rather than going to the provincial capital.
Uguro said the freight subsidy scheme was a Government initiative to see people become economically independent by tapping into agriculture.
“Education and agriculture are two core fundamentals of development, where it will dictate changes not short term but long term,” he said.
“My aim is to make people become economically independent by putting money into their pocket, with the price subsidy , tapping into cocoa is heading in the right direction.”
Uguro said under the current Government’s price subsidy initiative, the DDA had paid first instalment of K250,000 as a freight subsidy and was now paying K300,000 as a price subsidy.
For instance, the depot buyer established buying point at Usino station normally pays K400 for a 50-kilogramme bag, but the under the price subsidy they pay an extra K20 per bag.
The DDA is also supplying 100 seedlings to all farmers.
Mostly clones and buds were ready to be planted.
“We have also deployed cocoa board officials and local and trained farmers to assist in this economic drive,” Uguro said.