Bougainville Chocolate Festival

It will be the largest event since the inaugural festival in 2016.

The theme of this year’s festival is “Innovation and Information Sharing to Empower Farmers.” A series of activities will explore and showcase innovative ideas, knowledge and information through the festival’s demonstrations, competitions and seminar presentations.

 ABG Minister for Primary Industries, Geraldine Paul, said the festival is an opportunity to celebrate Bougainville’s cocoa production which has grown over the last few years, making Bougainville the biggest producer of cocoa in PNG.

Held from 7 to 8 August, the festival is now in its fourth year and aims to increase the production and quality of cocoa.

Initiated by the Autonomous Bougainville Government in 2016, the event is supported by the Australian and New Zealand governments in partnership with the Government of Papua New Guinea.

Hundreds of cocoa farmers will attend the event to showcase the region’s quality cocoa beans. The Australian and New Zealand governments have supported the travel and accommodation of 78 farmers who have submitted beans for judging.

This year’s festival, to be held in Arawa, Central Bougainville, is expected to draw thousands of people, farmers and international chocolatiers.

It will be the fourth since it began in 2016 and will be staged on Thursday and Friday, 8 and 9 August, 2019.

Festival Co-chair and Secretary for Primary Industries, Thomas Betitis, says a key aim of the festival is to connect Bougainville cocoa farmers and their world class cocoa beans to international markets and buyers.

President Chief Dr John Momis will officially launch the two day Festival of activities and competitions at Hutjena Oval in Provincial capital Buka this Friday. 

This year’s festival activities include competitions for farmers, such as the Big Bean Competition and Big Pod Competition.

The highlight Chocolate competition has generated record levels of interest with farmers submitting their cocoa beans from as far as remote Nissan Island and Torokina in South Bougainville.