Generating cash flow through cash crops vital: Bird

EAST Sepik Governor Allan Bird says generating cash flow for the rural economy through cash crops like cocoa and vanilla will move the country forward.
Bird said this in a statement to appreciate the contribution of the European Union’s support to rural entrepreneurship, investment and trade in Papua New Guinea training programme in East Sepik.
“When we empower our people, the country will move,” he said.
“That’s the power of things like cocoa.
“This is why I’m happy for the European Union, with FAO (the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation) and PNG Cocoa Board to join because no single person can do it alone.
“We have to join hands to make big things happen.
“I’m also happy to see women participants here as well.”
Cocoa Board regional manager Daryl Worimo said the training programme was to address quality control issues with exporting companies and small fermentry owners.
“They must have this knowledge to ferment, dry and produce quality cocoa, likewise for cocoa assessors in exporting operations, to know quality aspects to assess cocoa supplied by village farmers because our comparative edge in the world market is quality, and we must be able to control that,” he said.