Ward leads LLG in cocoa bean production

Business

By ROSELYN ELLISON
THE Makurapau ward, one of 22 wards that make up Bitapaka local level government (LLG) in the Kokopo, East New Britain (ENB), is leading the way in cocoa bean production.
Ward member Joshua Pitmak said the ward had progressed in the production of cocoa and coconut with a move towards exporting dried cocoa beans and downstream processing of coconut by-products.
Pitmak said the cocoa industry had been hit by the cocoa pod borer a decade ago forcing many farmers to cut down their cocoa trees and plant other cash crops or convert their blocks gardens.