March 7th 2021
The Marape Government has so far pumped in K19 million for price support to cocoa, says Agriculture and Livestock Minister Hon. John Simon.
He announced this when addressing growers during a recent visit (on Saturday, February 27, 2021) to remote Kadaulung in Inland Baining, East New Britain, to see for himself how the Government’s Price Support Scheme was faring.
The scheme has seen the price of wet cocoa beans increase from K1.50 per kg to K3 per kg.
Minister Simon stressed that high quality cocoa must be produced for the price to remain at K3 per kg.
Minister Simon said K10 million was the first installment for last year followed by K9 million for this year, as incentive to growers to increase production.
Minister Simon was accompanied by Department of Agriculture and Livestock Secretary Daniel Kombuk, PNG Cocoa Board CEO Boto Gaupu, PNG Agriculture Company CEO Brad Jackson, Oil Palm Industry Corporation Acting General-Secretary Kepson Pupita, Government officials and local leaders.
PNG Agriculture Company, owned by cocoa growers, is the vehicle in East New Britain through which price support is paid to growers.
Minister Simon said what was currently being rolled out was the K10 million from last year.
“This year, the Government has allocated another K24 million (for agriculture price support), of which we have given another K9 million to cocoa, which makes it K19 million,” he said.
“This money is for you (cocoa farmers).
“The money, however, will only be paid when you bring out your cocoa and weigh it on the scales.”
Minister Simon said he had no time for “paper farmers” wandering in Waigani with proposal after proposal.
“I want to see men and women in the villages who are involved in cocoa, I want to visit them, I want to see that their cocoa gardens are clean, I want to see good production of cocoa, I want to see happy farmers who are receiving money,” he said.
“If you are happy, I am happy, the Government is happy.
“We (Government) are not happy to serve ourselves, we are here for you people.
“I am happy to see that all you growers here are happy with the programme.”
Let’s go for it! We’ll done Government!
Please consider my province (Manus) too.