By Benorah Carrie Hesehing
The PNG Cocoa Board has tighten its quality surveillance exercise in all cocoa dry bean buying depots in the country, to ensure good quality beans are sold to exporters.
The Coordinator for Cocoa in the Sepik Region, Daryll Worimo said this exercise has begun in East Sepik, which saw several fermentary owners already being penalized.
“In the eve of the hike in the buying price of a dry bean bag which may reach up to K1,500 as per our projection into the next six (6) months; our concern is to ensure we maintain good quality production and supply of cocoa bean in order to earn buyers trust in the world markets”, he said.
“It is of paramount importance that we maintain the quality of the cocoa product we sell to our local buyers and exporters to the international market” Worimo added.
He said cocoa is lose buying commodity, which means it does not have any regulation at the moment to guide the buying practice. This creates a gap for anyone to buy wet cocoa beans without a fermentary license, then hire licensed fermentary to process the bean.
This he stressed, has been noticed and is a concern.
To address this, the PNG Cocoa Board has opt to stationing surveillance officers in all buying depots to work alongside the depots certified Cocoa Assessors, to ensure that the beans come from a licensed fermentary, and are not mouldy, off-flavoured and rejected.
“If the beans are found to be rejected, they will be banned from export and the fermentary owner will be penalized accordingly” Mr Worimo said.
On the note, Mr. Worimo reminded the farmers and producers in East Sepik, including Aitape-Lumi and Nuku districts of Sandaun, not to be overwhelmed by the price hike and jeopardize the quality of their produce as this may affect the market and they may be penalized for doing so.
“Ensure that you process the beans in a fermentary. Avoid bag fermentation. You are to complete seven (7) days of fermentation and three days of consistent drying. Make sure you maintain your kiln pipe or cocoa dryer so there is no smoke leakage which may affect the quality of the beans.” he said.
Meanwhile, the PNG Cocoa Board Wewak is looking forward to partnering with EU STREIT PNG Program, to conduct quality cocoa training to farmers, especially fermentary owners in all 27 LLGs of East Sepik, including those of Aitape-Lumi and Nuku districts of Sandaun province.
