CONTRACTS worth over K9 million for the upgrade and maintenance of two Agriculture Feeder Roads in East New Britain were signed last Thursday at the National Procurement Commission (NPC) in Port Moresby.
The agreements were formalized between NPC, the Cocoa Board of PNG through the PNG Commercialisation and Diversification (PACD) World Bank funded project and two contractors.
The signing program was witnessed by the PACD Cocoa PMU Project Manager Roland Kerina and Senior Engineer and Agriculture Feeder Road Component Coordinator Raymond Paulias together with contractors’ representatives and NPC officers.
Mr Paulias said that the two contracts signed includes the rehabilitations of 3.18Km Vunapalading-Burit Feeder Road in Inland Baining, Gazelle District, and 4.0Km Kulungere Feeder Road in Sinivit, Pomio District both in East New Britain Province.
He said the Vunapalading-Burit Feeder Road was awarded to COVEC PNG Ltd for K4,101,405.28 and the Kulungere Feeder Road to Kokopo Plant Hire Ltd for K 4,964,336.34.
“The existing feeder roads will be upgraded to all weather condition to ensure produce reaches the market,” Mr Paulias.
“This will ease critical market access constrains for Cocoa growing communities in the respective areas,” he said.
Work will commence for both roads early next month and will have 10 months to complete with completion expected by December 2025.
Meanwhile, the road rehabilitation of the 5.8Km Tehobuin-Sipotavai Feeder Road in Tinputz, North Bougainville, AROB which was Awarded in October 2024, also under the PACD Program is progressing well and is expected to be completed by June 2025.
These roads will benefit over 5000 cocoa farmers and will open doors for economic growth and connectivity between the different nearby communities as they are reporting an increase in cocoa production and with good road access will also bring in new and exciting opportunities to farmers in the area drawing attention for other services like schools, health or spin offs.
Farmers in the two roads in East New Britain shared that they used to carry heavy loads and walk long distances following bush tracks crossing rivers to reach the nearest road junction to catch PMVs.
“We used to distribute our bags of cocoa dry beans into smaller bags and share the weight with our children and walk. We wake up early in the morning around 3 or 4 am and started walking,” said Rachel Michael one of the female cocoa farmer in Vunapalading.
“With better roads our farmers can transport produce efficiently, children can attend school, and families can access health care,” she added
