Freight subsidy to benefit cocoa farmers

By ROSELYN ELLISON
COCOA farmers in Pomio, East New Britain and Kandrian in West New Britain will benefit from a freight subsidy programme.
Cocoa Board of PNG through its cocoa freight subsidy programme partnership signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with JJ Ship Equip Agencies in Kokopo on Friday.
Cocoa Board extension manager in charge of industry and corporate services David Yinil said the agreement with JJ Ship Equip Agencies would ease the burden cocoa farmers in Pomio and Kandrian faced in transporting their beans to market.
Yinil said the freight subsidy was an important initiative to boost the cocoa industry.
He said the Cocoa Board had rolled out a number of intervention programmes such as cocoa nursery projects, cocoa infrastructure development, and cocoa rehabilitation schemes to ensure the growth of the industry.
Yinil said the programme was funded by the Government under the public investment programme.
A cheque for K100,000 was presented to JJ Ship Equip Agencies chief executive officer Dinesh Hapuarachchi for the freight subsidy.
Hapuarachchi said his company was pleased to work with the Cocoa Board and local farmers in New Britain.
Hapuarachchi said farmers would pay part of the fare to ship their cocoa beans.