2 weeks Ago By postcourieronline
COCOA is for ordinary Papuan New Guineans who are serious in growing and taking the time to nurture the crop. For those who have land, you have an opportunity to employ labour to plant cocoa gardens and plantations. Member for Samarai-Murua Isi Henry Leonard made these remarks at the three day National Cocoa Show that recently concluded in Alotau over the weekend.
He said Cocoa is an important cash crop that continues to stimulate economic activity within the agriculture sector. “Cocoa is not for the educated elites in cities and elsewhere in the country. Cocoa is for ordinary Papua New Guineans in the villages, this is our job and we must take it up.
“Its about using what we have in the villages, our land and our families to help promote and grow cocoa. Cocoa is logical for us and suits our lifestyle, you can do activities like fishing and still come back and work in your gardens and plantations,” he said. Mr Leonard reminded the cocoa farmers and those attending the show to integrate cocoa in their lives and programs.
“The cocoa and agriculture industry are here, the Cocoa Board is here and the market is here to help you venture into this sector. The Cocoa Board has confirmed that cocoa grown in the country has an organic taste and flavour and that’s what makes us unique when we export the crop. It is fresh, no chemical, no pesticides, from nature you draw it and from the garden you process it to the market.
“We have only one percent in the global market, we need to increase that percentage. The challenge is to increase smallholder cocoa gardens and plantations in order to translate and increase the one percent on the global market. Now with cocoa prices increasing, let us take advantage of this situation,” Mr Leonard said.
Reiterating that the demand for high quality flavoured cocoa was on the rise, and there was a demand from China, India and other emerging markets. “The high-quality flavoured cocoa is found here in Papua New Guinea, but our production levels are low. Therefore, as small holders in the country, we must work smart and work together to combine these efforts to increase productions so that we can get a fair price when it hits the world market,” he said.
He believed the show would inspire the cocoa growers to work together to increase production numbers and in doing so contributing to the economy of this country. Urging cocoa growers and those in the sector to take up this responsibility to make it work one hundred percent because the returns would be high. Mr Leonard said he would support his farmers and officers in the district to increase cocoa production in Samarai Murua District.
He commended the Member for Alotau Hon. Rocky Morris and the organisers for a successful staging of this important event for the agriculture sector..
