PNG Urged to Build Billion-Kina Economy on Cocoa Exports, Says Governor Bird
Papua New Guinea should build its long-term economic strength on agriculture, with cocoa as a leading export, East Sepik Governor Allan Bird says as he renewed his call for major investment in the sector.
Governor Bird said cocoa’s rapid growth in the Sepik region shows how strongly rural households can benefit when agriculture is properly supported. He said farming has provided income, stability and opportunity for families who depend on small-scale production.
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| PNG Urged to Build Billion-Kina Economy on Cocoa Exports, Says Governor Bird |
He described agriculture as a multi-million kina industry with enormous potential waiting to be unlocked. Despite this, he said, it remains underfunded and undervalued compared to other sectors of the economy.
Bird outlined plans to expand the production and marketing of high-grade Papua New Guinean cocoa, saying greater access to international buyers would lift rural standards of living and increase national earnings.
According to the Governor, PNG could become one of the world’s leading cocoa suppliers if the industry is commercialised and backed by strong policy direction. He emphasised that an agriculture-first approach would give PNG a more reliable foundation for the future, with resources revenue acting only as an added advantage.
His comments add momentum to the growing call for government and industry to refocus on agriculture and empower rural farmers to drive the country’s next phase of economic growth.
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