French envoy visits local vanilla exporter

FRENCH ambassador Guillaume Lemoine visited a major vanilla exporter in Madang last week to know more about the production and transformation of vanilla beans into high quality product.
A French Embassy statement said the field visit enabled him to know the status of the province and the challenges farmers faced.
Lemoine visited the Kamapim vanilla farm from which France imports much of the product.
Managing director Nancy Irwin explained to him how they developed a sustainable inclusive agricultural product with landowners.
She said the transformation of a vanilla bean into a high quality product demanded a lot of knowledge, experience and dedication.
Lemoine had lunch with farmers who told him their work and their lives in the remote villages.
Kamapim works directly with the farmers in villages which it buys vanilla beans from.
Lemoine visited Governor Sir Peter Yama to discuss issues about the Coronavirus (Covid-19) situation in the province.
He also visited the Divine Word University where he was welcomed by its president Fr Philip Gibbs.