Cocoa is the third-most important cash crop in Papua New Guinea, bringing in US$96.3 million in income in 2015 alone. Most coastal provinces in the country can grow cocoa. Between 70% and 80% of the income from its sale goes directly to smallholder cocoa farmers, who contribute  98% of total production, providing a livelihood for more than 151,000 households and 1 million people.

However, the industry faces problems with low and stagnant yields, inconsistent quality and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) risks associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contamination as a result of defective driers. After the fermentation process, cocoa beans are dried using a combination of firewood and natural sunlight. The drier contains a kiln pipe made of mild steel, which acts as a conduit to transfer heat to the beans on the drier bed. However, mild steel is not durable and deteriorates within a few years, allowing smoke to come into contact with cocoa beans, resulting in smoke taint.

This project supports the cocoa industry and contributes positively to the goals set out in the 2016-2025 Cocoa Industry Strategic Plan by supporting improvements to food safety and quality management in the cocoa value chain. This is expected to promote cocoa exports, and benefit farmers and reduce poverty in rural communities.

Through a collaborative public-private partnership approach, the project looks to work closely with key exporters such as NGIP-Agmark and Outspan PNG Ltd, the two largest cocoa exporters in the country. The project targets 12 farmer groups in East New Britain province and three farmer groups in the Morobe province’s Markham Valley, which is home to about 1,500 rural farming households.    

Papua New Guinea is one of only 23 countries recognised by the International Cocoa Organization for its high-value, fine-flavour cocoa. If SPS challenges such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and cadmium contamination along the supply chain are addressed, the country has the potential to export its cocoa to high-value premium markets. Papua New Guinea’s Cocoa Board and cocoa industry are committed to working together to put in place and demonstrate robust safety and quality management systems to control polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon and cadmium contamination and other SPS issues within the value chain, and to expand exports to high-value markets.