Partnership pushing white copra production forward: Official

THE edible white copra production in Kokopo, East New Britain (ENB) is progressing well because of the partnership between the Kokonas Indastri Korporesen (KIK) and Kokopo administration.
KIK programme manager (New Guinea Islands) Ephraim Tade said this during a presentation of a cheque for K300,000 on Friday to KIK for the district support price for the edible white copra farmers.
“KIK team in ENB were progressing very well in Kokopo because of the good partnership we have with the district administration,” he said.
“Not only in Kokopo but other districts in the province too.”
Tade said Kokopo was the lead district in the country with production of high value coconut products, coconut replanting programmes and now edible white copra.
He said the district was likely to be taking the lead in another coconut product – charcoal production.
Meanwhile, Tade also presented two moister readers to Kokopo administrator John Talele for the officers in the district to check copra products.
He said the readers were needed to ensure quality control of edible white copra production and encouraged other districts in the province to contact his office to purchase the moisture reader kit.
Kokopo, to date, has produced 100 tonnes of edible white copra.
Tade said their main buyer for the white copra was in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.