Company helps farmers with cocoa dryers

Locals are grateful to a firm in Pomio, East New Britian, which has been consistently assisting farmers with cocoa dryers.
The company, Kalamalage Holdings Limited (KHL), at Palmalmal, has been donating the dryers to help local farmers process their cocoa beans.
A total of eight cocoa dryers have been given out to farmers in Pomio.
The company has also provided support to schools and churches in the district.
West Pomio Mamusi local level government president Paul Pavol, himself a cocoa farmer, says he is happy to see a local business supporting his local farmers.
“It is good for a local company owned by a local to start donating cocoa dryer facilities.
“This is indirectly teaching the people to invest back into local businesses.
“I was happy because when I was running a court case against Special Agriculture and Business Lease (SABL) for land grabbing, Kalamalage Holdings supported me, this has resulted in some portions of land being available for the people to plant cocoa and benefit from the current surge in cocoa prices,” Pavol said.
“I was one of the farmers trying my best to produce cocoa back in 2022 by owning a small cocoa dryer in my ward.
“I struggled that time because the only road from main centre Palmalmal ends at my village near Rina river.
“I struggled to get support to market my produce and the only ship was owned by South Coast Shipping managed by Donald Wickham and Tom Vevo, I can remember.”
“I later moved to sawmilling using a Lucal Mill.
“There was good money and again it was still very tough.
“But that sawmill operation led me to environment and resource management and a land use plan was my top agenda.
“In 2017 and 2018, I stood up to correct a land grab issue involving the SABL.
“This work took me to some places but still remember agriculture as my priority,” Pavol added.