Chocolate processing lab launched in Bougainville
The ABG Department of Primary Industries and Marine Resources launched its first ever chocolate processing lab in Buka today. .
This was made possible through the joint partnership of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Bougainville government funded Commodity Support Facility Program (CSF) and Australia Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR) Program.
ABG Minister for DPI & Marine Resources Hon Nicholas Darku in officiating at the launch expressed his gratitude to the staff, developing partners and stakeholders for their continued efforts in developing cocoa and reviving the cocoa industry in Bougainville.
“We have vibrant officers to make sure this industry goes further to processing cocoa products and this small chocolate making lab is the start of a big industry later,” he said.
The lab which is fully kitted with the necessary machinery for the processing of cocoa beans into a delicious mouth watering organic chocolate bar is built within the Primary Industries office facility.
This makes it possible for the DPI officers and farmers to process cocoa beans into chocolate bars for testing samples and should also be an added bonus for the department in preparation for the chocolate festival that will be held in Buka next month.
According to the Acting Secretary Wendy Sawa, DPI, ACIAR and other development partners have shown great commitment to getting Bougainville cocoa to the next level and this is evident in the staging of the Bougainville Chocolate Festival which began in 2016 and will be staged for the third time next month in Buka.
“In preparation for the upcoming chocolate festival as an effort to upscale Bougainville cocoa, Bougainville has the potential and chocolate making as we celebrate today is a reputable step that Bougainville cocoa industry is geared towards,” she said.
The set up of the lab and basic training on how to use the equipment will be provided by the PNG Cocoa Board.
Regional Manager Mark Lamur said it was an honour to work in partnership with the department and urged the staff and cocoa farmers to take cocoa seriously if they wanted to produce the best quality.
“Quality starts on the field – how you maintain your cocoa in the blocks to the dried beans that are ready for processing is important as the outcome is finally tasted in the chocolate that is produced,” he said.
The new lab currently has samples of cocoa beans sent in from over hundred farmers across Bougainville that will be processed into chocolate bars in preparation for the chocolate festival
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