Growers looking for cocoa buyers

MORE than 20 cocoa growers in Mekeo, Central, are struggling to find buyers for their produce.
Farmer Pias Apini, 37, from Veifa’a village started growing cocoa in 2013 as an alternative crop after the betel nut ban was imposed by the National Capital District Governor Powes Pakop in 2012.
“We get most of our income selling betel nut but after the ban, we switched to cocoa and coconut,” he said.
“My brothers and I started growing cocoa as an alternative crop to earn money after the betel nut ban.”
Apini and his four brothers were among farmers who had received training on farm management from James Maura Sarufa who is now attached with the PNG Coconut Institute research entity.
He visits the farmers regularly to ensure that everything is running smoothly.
The farmers received 2000 cocoa borer hybrid seedlings from Sarufa in 2014 for the Mekeo Cocoa Coconut Corporation farmers.
Corporation secretary Robert Dilu said the number of interested farmers had increased seven more villages in Mekeo.
He said they would expand and hoped to look for buyers.
Late last year, they received another 5000 seedlings to expand the farming to other villagers in Mekeo.
The three villages in Mekeo involved in growing cocoa are Veifa’a, Aipeana and Amoamo.