Basamuk villagers in the Rai Coast District of Madang Province, are the first in the country to receive a total of ten thousand seedlings of cocoa pod borer (CPB) tolerant hybrid, over the weekend.
Thanks to the successful public-private-partnership (PPP) arrangement between Ramu NiCo Mine, and PNG Cocoa Coconut Institute Ltd (PNGCCIL).
Chief Executive Officer of PNGCCIL, Dr. Eremas Tade, and Vice President of Ramu NiCo, Mr. Wang Baowen, officially launched the cocoa seedlings at Tugiak village in Basamuk.
Witnessed were reps from Ramu NiCo, PNGCCIL, Madang provincial government, Outspan Cocoa Exporter based in Madang, landowner association executives, local ward councilors, cocoa farmers and the locals.
A memorandum of Agreement was also signed between PNGCCIL, Ramu NiCo, landowner associations, and other stakeholders, strengthening the existing PPP program.
Dr. Tade told the gathering that Rai Coast farmers are fortunate amongst others in the country, to receive the latest hybrid, and urged them to work hard to benefit from them.
The new varieties launched include big clones, K-4, K-6, K-9, 21:4/8, 17:2/16 and small clones were 16:4/2, 15:4/7, 37:2/10, 63:3/8 and 13:3/2.
The CPB tolerant cocoa will assist the farmers to improve their yield, quality and quantity. A total of 10,000 polybags were also donated by PNGCCIL to the local farmers.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=PaSwgLaopdU%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
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