MP looking for K10mil for planting of cocoa trees

Maprik MP John Simon is seeking a government assistance of K10 million to pay for the planting of more than 11 million cocoa trees in his electorate over the next five years.
“In my district I have started the cocoa rehabilitation programme and I need to plant 11 million trees within five years,” he said.
The programme would need 2.2 million trees planted every year for five years.
He said he has divided Maprik district into 22 economic zones and if things go according to plan, each district can end up earning more than K120,000 a year from two harvests.
“This money will be going straight into the farmers’ pocket and I only need K10 million,” Simon said.
“This can also support the forex problems that we are having. Agriculture can support this but we
need to invest money into this industry.”
He said that if well promoted in other districts then rural people’s income from cocoa alone can be between K4 million and to K5 million a year.
He said the Agriculture Department and the Cocoa Board should look into this industry and help rural people develop income from it.