Gaupu eyeing K700 million revenue from cocoa

MORE than K700 million in annual revenue is expected to be generated from the cocoa subsector in the next five years, says Cocoa Board of PNG chief executive officer Boto Gaupu, pictured.
Gaupu told The National that this potential was similar to other subsectors and that despite being different cash crops, the developmental aspects were similar.
He also noted comments from presenters at the National Agriculture Summit as being highly relevant to cocoa, especially on enhanced partnership with rural farmers.
“The Cocoa Board in the last 5 years has gone into partnerships with the districts, farmer groupings, cooperatives and ILG’s and what we are doing is mobilising cocoa groups so we can deliver services consistently instead of doing that on a random basis. We would like to have a one stop shop where everything goes in,” Gaupu said
“It makes it more manageable for groupings on those levels for the government to come in and provide services needed to increase productivity and also the level of quality.
“In doing things in the group setting we can have more power in getting better prices as well.
“After the cocoa board borer from last year, December production has increased to 40,000 tonnes from 33,000 tonnes.
“We are optimistic that production will increase to 60,000 tonnes in the next five years with this progress so far and at current prices that will increase our export revenue to about K700 million in revenue the current K360 million.
“And if current production figures are maintained and cocoa farmers are assisted by about 10 years’ time we are able to export 100,000 tonnes that would easily be K1 billion for the country in terms of export revenue.”