Plant coffee, cocoa, farmers told

THE Cocoa Board of PNG (CBPNG) wants farmers to practice intercropping of coffee and cocoa to maximise returns.
CBPNG chief executive officer Boto Gaupu said growing both coffee and cocoa was a sustainable way to farm.
He said both cash crops needed to be given prominence as intercropping would enhance a farmer’s income.
Gaupu was in Wau for the launching of a new one-tonne capacity cocoa combination drier valued at K50,000, a new nursery with 20,000 seedlings, and a payment of K20,000 in price support to Wandumi farmers.
Wandumi is a coffee growing community after the crop was introduced to the area in 2016.
Since then, Wandumi farmers had incorporated cocoa farming as it required less labour and paid fortnightly compared to coffee which was labour intensive and seasonal.
Gaupu said the board advised against farmers removing their coffee just to focus on cocoa.
He said this pratice took place in Pugmi in Banz, Jiwaka, and West Kambia in Nebilyer, Western Highlands, where farmers were removing coffee in favour of cocoa on their blocks.
He said Bulolo was a new growth district for cocoa development with all LLGs already growing and selling cocoa with good returns for the farmers.