Morobe, ENB getting copra, cocoa from WNB district

By MARJORIE FINKEO
KANDRIAN-Gloucester in West New Britain is shipping its cocoa and copra direct to Lae and Kokopo while the provinces misses out on revenue, provincial planner Isodore Silong says.
He said Morobe and East New Britain were making money from the produce of Kandrian-Gloucester farmers.
“Sea transport is the main cause of the delay to Kimbe,” Silong told The National.
“The direct sales to other provinces is because shipping to and from Lae and Kokopo is faster.”
Kandrian-Gloucester produces more cocoa and copra than oil palm-predominant Talasea.
Silong said the economic corridor was through Pomio in East New Britain and Kandrian-Gloucester.
He said division of agriculture and livestock was working closely with National Planning and Monitoring to build a concept for local produce to reach the overseas market.
“We are trying to build a shed at Kalia village in Kandrian so that people can stock their bags of cocoa and copra,” Silong said.
New Britain Highway from Kokopo and Kimbe will be extended to Kandrian-Gloucester because of the increase of their commodity crops.
The planning of the economic corridor is in line with 2018-2022 Medium Term Plan Development with National Planning and Monitoring.