Outspan PNG assists cocoa farmers with water supply

APART from encouraging sustainable cocoa farming in the country, Outspan PNG is also committed to supporting community sustainable projects, branch manager Basavaraj Mashetty says.
One of such projects is the construction of water supply for Sauruan village in Markham, Morobe, to assist its farmers.
Sauruan has over 500 cocoa farmers registered with Outspan PNG and Olam International.
Mashetty said the project, worth K30,000, was part it’s the sustainable project.
The village has an estimated 4,000 population and drink from Madamen Creek.
It has a primary school and the Stang Girls School.
Mashetty said 40,000 cloned cocoa seedlings were distributed to 1,500 farmers in Markham last year and 120,000 would be distributed throughout Outspan registered farmers in Morobe this year.
“Sustainable cocoa farming is to take into account the values of our bushes, land, creeks and rivers including community health and hygiene,” Mashetty said.
“We, therefore, educate farmers to protect and use land wisely to plant cocoa trees that can generate more and dispose cocoa shells into the holes dug to produce organic fertilisers”
Head of sustainability for Switzerland chocolate manufacturer Lindt & Sprüngli Leonie Brühlmann and Olam Cocoa head of sustainability Simon Bryan Smith cut the ribbon to open the water supply yesterday.
Cocoa Board of PNG chief executive Boto Gaupu and regional manager Morobe Anton Ningi accompanied the delegates.