Sepik cocoa programme talks underway

The National Business

A DELEGATION from the European Union is still in talks with the Government on the Sepik Cocoa Rural Intervention Programme, according to a spokesperson.
“Our dialogue with the government on the EU’s envisaged programme for the benefit of Sepik rural cocoa growers is still ongoing. So we are not in a position to offer concrete comments in this regard,” the spokesperson said.
“As always, the EU remains open to further dialogue with the beneficiary country to which it offers development assistance.”
The delegation was told by National Planning and Monitoring Minister Richard Maru last month that the programme has been cancelled.
Maru said the programme was not aligned with Government’s plan for the cocoa subsector.
“We will, however, welcome your funding intervention in our cocoa development provided you co-fund our national five-year national cocoa development plan which at a minimum aims to double our national production in the next five years from producing 30,000 metric tonnes currently to 60,000 metric tonnes by 2022,” Maru stated.
The objectives of the programme include:

  • Employment, income and food security is increased in the areas of intervention;
  • Increased production of the focused value chains in an infrastructure-strengthened Sepik (East Sepik and Sandaun provinces); and
  • Strengthened and more efficient value chain enablers, focusing on support services, infrastructure, policy and regulatory environment, especially in the Sepik region.