Village society teams up with NGIP Agmark to export first cocoa

A COOPERATIVE society in West Sepik province has partnered with NGIP Agmark Ltd, a leading cocoa exporter.
The partnership is a bid to gain greater cocoa-growing know-how for smallholder farmers and to access better markets for their produce.
The Ulau Cooperative Society, on the East coast of Aitape, which boasts over 200 financial members, finally exported its first 12.5 tonnes of cocoa with the help of the company last Wednesday.
That came after two years of hard work in establishing a warehouse to prepare cocoa for export.
The setting is located in the village where there is no electricity or water supply but the society had done well by further establishing a shop with Bank of South Pacific in place to service its members, the general population and primary school teachers there.
In addition, the society initiated 3.5km road into inland villages to provide easy access for its members.
Society manager Mathew Katahano thanked local MP Patrick Pruaitch and Governor Simon Solo for the financial help of more than K400,000.
He said that enabled the society to fulfil all its requirements before starting cocoa exports last week.
Over 200 bags of cocoa were loaded by NGIP Agmark in the presence of its Momase regional manager Mick Shippey, Wewak branch manager Jack Nideson and his extension officer Daryll Worimo at Ulau village and transported to Wewak.
Under the partnership arrangement, NGIP Agmark provides technical expertise on acceptable farming practice and buys cocoa from the society while the farmers sell to the society at the villages at a standard rate.
Katahano said the arrangement relieved farmers of the problem of transporting their cocoa to Wewak.
NGIP Agmark in Wewak will make a weekly run to the village to collect cocoa from the society.