Islanders produce first chocolate

THE Tabar people of Namatanai, New Ireland, have produced their first chocolate confectionery through a joint effort with mining company St Barbara, Simberi Mining Area Association (SMAA) and Simberi Mining Services (SMS).
The product, Tabar Islands Chocolate, was produced by Paradise Foods Queen Emma chocolate factory from Simberi cocoa beans.
Queen Emma Chocolate is a subsidiary of the Paradise Foods.
Queen Emma factory general manager Karina Makori said Tabar cocoa had a fruity taste and was not smoke-tainted which was a great start for cocoa project in the area.
Simberi mine owner, St Barbara Ltd, reintroduced cocoa farming under its sustainable development programme upon purchasing the mine in 2012.
Planting began in 2017 and now a total of 50 hectares have been planted on Simberi and Tabar Island.
Cocoa seedlings were purchased by St Barbara SMA and SMAA for farmers and so far, about 120 family farmers were involved.
Makori said in September under an arrangement with Paradise Foods that 30kg of sun dried cocoa beans from Simberi’s Pigiput demonstration plantation were flown to Port Moresby.