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Annual Bougainville Chocolate Festival 2020 deferred due to COVID-19

The 2020 Bougainville Chocolate Festival has been postponed due the COVID-19 pandemic.

The festival has been run each year since 2016 in different locations throughout Bougainville and brings together cocoa farmers, chocolatiers, industry representatives and government officials to network and discuss market access, and share improved farming and processing techniques. As well as providing an opportunity to sample the delicious chocolate made from Bougainville’s finest beans!

Kenneth Dovaro, who as the Acting Secretary for the Department of Primary Industries is Co-Chair of the festival organising committee said “the postponement of the Chocolate Festival is a real blow after being such a success since the first one in 2016. It’s a really important trade fair and provides an unprecedented opportunity for Bougainville cocoa growers get to meet industry people from all over and, of course, for industry people to meet them.”

Festival Co-Chair and Secretary for the Department of Economic Development, Steven Tsivele, said “We’re very disappointed of course. But the important thing is for everyone to stay safe during the pandemic and for us to adhere to the State of Emergency restrictions. The good news is that we will work hard to deliver a bigger and better Chocolate Festival on Bougainville in 2021!”

The annual Bougainville Chocolate Festival is an initiative of the Autonomous Bougainville Government led by the Departments of Primary Industries and Economic Development, in partnership with governments of Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand.

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