The agriculture sector is on a slight general increase in production starting with coconut, cocoa, rubber and coffee making a rebound in 2022.
President of the Highlands Farmers and Settlers Association (HFSA), Wilson Thompson commended the Cocoa Board and Agmark NGIP, Eliven Cocoa and Middleton and Sons and smallholder farmer members that continues to drive the industry.
The Cocoa industry export figures for 2022 is 40,024 metric tonnes of export bringing in total of K313,603,141 million foreign currency.
This is increase from 2021 at 36,540 metric tonnes valued at K308,137,759 which is on the steady increase from 2021 at 32,905 metric tonnes (K274,863,434 million).
The actual production figure is 40,524 metric tonnes, where five (5) metric tonnes may be used for domestic purposes.
The Farmers and Settlers Association can put the production figures at 41,000 metric tonnes where some cocoa are still to be bought in places like Karimui (Simbu), Gulf and Oro and Milne Bay that has issues with absence of buyers and others still in farmers own storage.
The HFSA President said the Government must shift the K50 million for price support, K650 million Family support and K100 million Fuel Subsidy into developing seeds, seedlings and building nursery and distribution and the agriculture and livestock production can triple within a year.
He said the increase in production of copra and oil palm, coffee, rubber, and cocoa is without so many millions that has been announced but not having impact at the ground level.
If K800 million is directed at the seeds and seedlings level will see exponential increase in production.
Mr Thompson reiterated that the Marape Government has emphasised on agriculture and livestock and statistics is very critical as export figures is easy to obtain but what the industry wants is the production by district and province so that appropriate interventions are determined and deployed.
He said farmers and growers who were scattered around PNG must be commended for their perseverance and commitment to keep working and delivering despite the impacts of COVID 19 and the restrictions put in place in 2020 and 2021.
Mr Thompson stressed that the results are clear for the government to intervene to see biggest production and exports will be achieved in 2023 and 2024 if they start implementing the Prime Minister Marape’s vision and government objectives starting right now.