Partnership aims to improve cocoa quality, supply, production

TWO organisations have partnered to improve cocoa quality, its supply and production in the country.
The partnership between Paradise Foods Ltd, producers of Queen Emma Chocolate and the Australian and New Zealand-funded Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access (PHAMA) Plus Programme prioritises capacity building for women and securing better prices for Papua New Guinea cocoa growers.
Queen Emma Chocolate general manager Karina Makori said the partnership would assist their efforts to test the quality and flavour profiles of cocoa beans from smallholder farmers, and expand their supply base by securing more growers.
Australian High Commission minister counsellor Tim Huggins said Australia was proud to support this strategic value-adding intervention that aimed to improve smallholder cocoa farmers’ livelihoods and the broader agriculture sector in PNG.
New Zealand High Commission senior programme manager James Aipale said the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade was happy to be involved and to continue contributing to the development of agriculture in the country.
Paradise Foods chief executive James Rice said: “Through this partnership with PHAMA, they have supplied much needed new laboratory equipment which will enable our chocolate factory to conduct new product development trials, conduct sensory trials for new farmers wanting to supply Queen Emma, carry out trials for cocoa flavour and profiling and map cocoa quality from the different regions, and help us provide information to farmers on quality and flavour.”
Additional benefits expected from the new partnership include; improved access for growers to information on quality and flavour; opportunities to measure and map cocoa quality in the supply chain; and provision of lab equipment to allow for flavour profiling of cocoa samples.
The company has had successful collaboration with PHAMA, now known as PHAMA Plus.
These collaborations involved achieving market access for spice products from PNG to Australia; facilitating linkages with international cocoa buyers including through hosting of international cocoa and chocolate festivals; delivering cocoa flavour profiling support and training; and regularly featuring at trade events such as the PNG/Australia Business Council Business Expo.