By Naomi Takoma
Current price of cocoa in East New Britain stands at one thousand nine hundred kina (K1,900), which is much higher than what cocoa was buying last week.
This is according to Jenny Kulunio, an officer from Cocoa Board in Kokopo in a phone interview this afternoon with this news room.
Kulunio says, last week the cocoa was buying at K1700 but the price has increased by two hundred kina (K200).
She says before the price hike, the cocoa farmers in Kokopo gets only K400 to K500 per dry bean bag.
This news room also contacted other farmers from East and West Sepik to get an updated cocoa price in the Sepik region.
Wilfred Mombian a cocoa farmer in East Sepik Province says the dry bean bag is currently buying at K1,500.00 to K1,600.00 depending on the price given by the three current buyers which are Agmark, Elliven and Outspan.
Meanwhille, Mr. Primus Wailik a cocoa farmer from Vanimo in Ossima says the province has only one fermentry to dry cocoa bean properly which belongs to the government and is not allowed for the public to use.
He says they currently use the sun to dry their cocoa beans which result in them selling a cocoa bag at around K1300.
