Turning beans into Gold: Marape calls on PNG farmers to capitalize on cocoa and coffee boom
In celebration of Papua New Guinea's 50th year of independence, Prime Minister James Marape is calling on farmers to seize a rare economic opportunity presented by soaring global prices for coffee and cocoa.
He said that high-quality, organic crops grown in PNG are in high demand internationally, with Arabica coffee prices exceeding US$4.40 per pound and cocoa reaching over US$8,000 per metric tonne.
The favorable exchange rate [K4.13 to the US dollar] further increases local earnings, turning export sales into meaningful income for rural families. Marape outlined several government-backed initiatives to support farmers, including:
- PACD Project – Infrastructure and tools for smallholders across key provinces.
- National Agriculture Credit Scheme – Access to affordable financing for farmers and SMEs.
- Market Access Support – Through CICL and the Cocoa Board, improving export logistics and partnerships.
- Branding & Value Addition – Promoting premium PNG products like honey-processed coffee and fine-flavor cocoa.
Mr Marape highlighted agriculture as a path to inclusive, sustainable development, emphasizing that “our gold is not only in the ground, but also in our gardens.”
He cited biblical inspiration and noted government efforts in education and healthcare are freeing up household income to be reinvested into agricultural ventures.
As the country marks 50 years of independence, Marape called on citizens to embrace agriculture as a vehicle for economic transformation and national pride.