Goodenough cocoa winners return home

They returned home to Alotau to a rousing welcome yesterday, the medal winners out of Milne Bay for the Greater Sepik Cocoa of Excellency 2026.
They had gone to defend their Gold title and defend they did.

33 year old Paul Esron says he did not expect to win anything out of cocoa he used as a daily necessity to income but win he did.

Belebele farmer Paul Esron, the gold medal winner.

He was one of three gold winners at this year’s Cocoa of Excellence Expo in Wewak; one was from East Sepik, and two were from Milne Bay.

It appears Milne Bay bagged a good number of awards too.

Royroy Kaitolele, the President of Goodenough LLG

At the exposition this year, they had entered a total of 15 samples from farmers and groups out of Alotau District and the Kiriwina-Goodenough District; they were among a total of 59 samples from around the country that had passed the grade for testing at the show this year.

In securing Milne Bay’s pride to defend their Gold Medal win from the last exposition in 2024, they urged the provincial government to harness the cocoa potential and to take it to the next level as has been proven.

The farmers acknowledged the learning experience at the Expo and told of doors already opening for arrangements for export with the international community that they had gotten to rub shoulders with, especially for markets in Europe and the United States of America, while a few others also were scouted for possible contracts with Paradise Foods Ltd.