Struggles of remote cocoa growers

News NationRegionWorld Magistrate strikes out 7 criminal cases October 20, 2026 Child dies in house fire, citizens cautioned October 20, 2026 Maladina to table report on ‘allocated funds’ spending October 20, 2026 MPs told to study constitution ahead of Bougainville debate October 20, 2026 Four injured after prison vehicle flips enroute to court October 20, 2026 Business Sports Pete’s PunchlinePilai Bilong YumiSports Extra UFL uniting public servants through netball October 21, 2026 PNG Chiefs launch inaugural logo and supporter jersey October 21, 2026 PNG LNG signs as major sponsor of PNG Chiefs October 20, 2026 K200,000 richer October 20, 2026 PNG Chiefs need forwards: Coach October 20, 2026 Opinion EditorialLetters to the EditorColumn 1 Need to mobilise and market local food products October 20, 2026 Timing of governance reforms raises questions October 20, 2026 Government must protect PNG Power October 20, 2026 Country facing many challenges before GE27 October 20, 2026 Guns buyback only good on paper October 20, 2026 Features PeopleFocus Farmer Betty recognised globally October 16, 2026 SE Asian economies are growing, but inflation is hitting the poor October 16, 2026 Who is to blame for toxic smog choking Southeast Asia? October 15, 2026 Solomons MPs’ taxpayer-funded overseas healthcare queried October 14, 2026 Timothy works for school fees, then receives top award, scholarship October 12, 2026 Weeklies FarmingEducationFaithHealthBuilding and ConstructionMind Your Money Welding a critical trade October 19, 2026 Importance of plumbing in building October 19, 2026 Mistakes in carpentry October 19, 2026 Safety tips in construction that you should know about October 19, 2026 Western school in need of food supplies October 19, 2026 Weekender Supplement Business Struggles of remote cocoa growers By GLORIA BAUAI October 21, 2026 Share FacebookWhatsAppEmail IN good weather, cocoa farmers from Finschhafen’s remote Burum walk for over three hours to the nearest boat stop to access cocoa-buying depots in Lae.

Pisu Warong, a rural development officer with the district’s agriculture and livestock division (DAL), said they had been doing this for years, without any complaint.

Warong said the farmers still used semi-permanent fermentaries to dry cocoa and worked using their own experience with no proper training.

The cocoa farming community’s needs were identified during a visit by Warong to Ibarakup, Qandang, Bunzirkiing and Budibi last week to conduct cocoa fermentary inspections, cocoa garden field visits and farmer data collection.

“Walking distance from the village to Bukawa (Nawaeb) is three hours, then another two hours by boat to Voco Point in Lae, or alternatively, four hours on a vehicle to Lae on the Burum Highway,” Warong said. 

“Instruction from the Papua New Guinea Cocoa Board (PNGCB) is that all fermentary owners should have sliding roof cocoa set-up to produce the best quality cocoa beans.

“Their seven fermentaries are not to PNGCB standard.”

Warong said the old German cocoa variety, characterised by tall cocoa trees, were introduced there around 1969.

Due to limited government extension services and a lack of consistent agricultural interventions, cocoa production declined over the years.

Warong said in 2010, farmer Kipi Gokiyong helped revive cocoa production, encouraging communities to return to cocoa growing as a source of income.

He said their visit last week was a first for the villagers.

He confirmed that the cocoa board issued a dealer licence and fermentary operating licence, permitting them to sell their cocoa at Agmark and OutSpan.

…they have been doing this for years without complaint…”

The DAL team is now working with the farmers to register the Zem Cocoa Cooperative Society Limited.

“This initiative aims to strengthen farmer organisation, improve cocoa production and marketing, maintain reliable farmer records, and create opportunities for farmers to access government support and development programmes,” he said.

“Cooperative societies are drivers of any agriculture activities in local level governments to empower rural economy.”

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

FacebookInstagramWhatsApp News Business Sports Opinion Features Weeklies Weekender Supplement About The National The National is the top-selling newspaper in Papua New Guinea. Headquartered in Port Moresby, it has offices in Five (5) centres: Lae, Mount Hagen, Kokopo, Madang and Goroka. We have two printing plants and the paper is simultaneously printed in the capital city of Port Moresby and the industrial city of Lae. The National is distributed five days a week from Monday to Friday.