MORE than 8,000 Papua New Guinea cocoa farming households are set to benefit from a new Australia-backed traceability system designed to help the country’s cocoa industry meet strict European Union sustainability standards and maintain access to premium export markets.
The initiative, delivered through a partnership between the Australian Government and cocoa exporter NGIP-Agmark, enables farmers to comply with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which requires imported agricultural commodities to be proven free from recent deforestation.
Under the project, farms are being digitally mapped using geospatial technology, while cocoa bags are tagged with QR codes to allow beans to be traced from farm to export. Farmers are also receiving payments through a real-time electronic system.
The new system has already been used to export a 25-tonne shipment of cocoa from 70 mapped farms to the European Union, demonstrating that PNG cocoa can meet international traceability and sustainability requirements.
NGIP Group Agricultural Production Manager Graham McNally said the successful trial would pave the way for wider adoption across the country.
“Once we have developed the model and proven it works, we will scale it up,” Mr McNally said.
“Our goal is to expand this capability nationwide. Meeting evolving international requirements is essential for PNG’s cocoa industry and the farming households that depend on it.”
East New Britain cocoa farmer Anisa said the system was helping farmers protect their access to premium markets.
“It helps us continue receiving a premium price for our cocoa,” she said.
“By mapping and registering our farms digitally, we can show that our cocoa is grown on existing farmland and not through clearing virgin forests.”
The initiative comes as global demand for sustainably sourced cocoa continues to grow, with buyers increasingly requiring proof that products are produced without contributing to deforestation.
PNG’s cocoa industry supports thousands of smallholder farmers and remains one of the country’s most important agricultural export sectors. Industry leaders say initiatives such as this will help ensure local growers remain competitive in high-value international markets while promoting sustainable farming practices.