Farmers told to know different species of cocoa

Business

COCOA farmers should know the difference between the two species of cocoa and sell the one which is used to produce chocolate, says the Cocoa Board of PNG (CBPNG).
The statement focused on East New Britain where the CBPNG officers found balsa cocoa or Theo broma bi-colour cocoa together with Theo broma cocoa, which were used to produce cocoa, at the buying point in Kokopo.
CBPNG chief scientist of plant breeding, and research director, Dr Peter Epaina explained that there were 21 different species of cocoa grown by farmers throughout the world.
Dr Epaina said the Theo Broma bi-colour, or balsa cocoa beans, were found in one of the cocoa bags at one of the cocoa buying points in Kokopo.
The CBPNG officers tracked down the cocoa bag serial number and found that all the cocoa sold that time were from cocoa farmers in the Kikitabu ward in Gazelle’s Reimber-Livuan local level government.
The CBPNG introduced the Theo broma cocoa to farmers in the country.
“Who introduced this balsa cocoa?
“As far as the CBPNG is concerned, we don’t have any records of it being brought into the country and introduced to farmers.”
CBPNG regional coordinator for East and West New Britain, Moses Burin, told farmers at Kikitabau to know the right cocoa to grow and sell.
“When I received news about this from our export section, I did not waste any time as this is a concern,” he said.
“I sent officers to investigate where exactly these cocoa bags are coming from.”