K1 million for cocoa reboot

 By SHIRLEY MAULUDU

A TOTAL of K1 million will be spent each year on replanting cocoa seedlings in the Yangoru area of East Sepik, Yangoru-Saussia administrator Fenssen Yaninen said.

The initiative, aimed at increasing cocoa production in the area, was made possible through a partnership with the Cocoa Board of Papua New Guinea.

Under the agreement, each party will allocate K500,000 annually towards the cocoa project.

Yaninen said in the next 4-5 year period, six million cocoa seedlings would be planted at a cost of about K5 million.

Yangoru was once the second highest cocoa producer of the province.

“The district is not enjoying the sort of crops that it used to before,” he said.

“The district was second highest producer of cocoa after Maprik but had fallen low in production after cocoa pod borer destroyed most of the cash crop few years back.”

Last year, concerns had been raised by farmers on the impact of the cocoa pod borer (CPB) on the production of the cash crop in the area.

He said cocoa seedlings that were resistant to CPB would be brought in from East New Britain.