Scientists go to bat for PNG cocoa

TWO scientists from the Cocoa Board of PNG are in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, to promote the country as a 90 per cent fine flavour producer of cocoa.
They will be reporting on PNG’s status at the International Cocoa Organisation meeting which is held twice a year. Ivory Coast is the world’s number one cocoa producer and houses the ICCO headquarters. Cocoa board chief executive officer Boto Gaupu said during the launch of the Cocoa of Excellence (CoEx) show in Lae that the scientists “will defend and call for a full 100 per cent fine flavour status”. Gaupu called for teamwork among cocoa farmers, processors and exporters, the Government and the board if PNG was to remain competitive and relevant among the cocoa-producing countries. He said PNG produced around 40,000 tonnes of cocoa every year – only one per cent of the world’s four million tonnes of cocoa supply.
“However, we have a comparative advantage in our quality that is selling at premium prices at niche high-value specialty markets.”
This earns around K300 million in export revenue – the third largest agriculture commodity earner in the country next to oil palm and coffee. About 2.5 million rural people depend on cocoa for their livelihood. The industry contributes to employment, tax, associated businesses and industries.