copra

Member for Bogia Robert Naguri delivered the trucks and machinery on behalf of the Government for the resumption of the old Awar copra and cocoa Plantation recently.

The equipment included a tractor, a three-ton truck, a Toyota Landcruiser utility, one portable sawmill, four chainsaws, a power generator, one compressor, four motorbikes and one Toyota Hilux twin cab.

These trucks and machinery will be used for clean-up work and get the plantation ready for nursery of the coconut and cocoa seeds in preparation of planting.

Sumkar DDA Chief Executive Officer, Charles Katu presented one cheque each to Biabi Estate and Linguan Company in Madang. Currently Linguan Company is buying copra at K1 per kilogram while others are buying at 80 toea per kilogram on Karkar Island.

Another K150,000 will be presented to Kulili Estate on Karkar Island later.

Mr Katu said the price subsidy was allocated by DDA Chairman and local MP Alexander Suguman to help with price support. Farmers would fetch K2 per kilogram on sales during the festive season.

A lot of cocoa and copra have been rejected despite the production getting higher throughout the region from North to South.

A cocoa farmer from the west coast of Bougainville Patrick Miaro said his area makes quality Cocoa because they follow all procedures and make no mistake about it, and they listen carefully to awareness by extension officers.

“It’s about time we put Bougainville back on the world map and to do that we must  deliver good results in the end of the day from our products like cocoa,” Miaro said.