EU Ambassador to PNG opens Cocoa processing facility in West Sepik
Wilyete Cocoa Depo is now Sandaun's very own and first Cocoa Processing Facility, producing fine Cocoa Powder, Cocoa Butter, and Chocolate all from West Sepik Cocoa.
The Cocoa Processing Facility was officially opened by the European Union Ambassador to PNG Her Excellency Erika Hesznos and the Deputy Secretary for National Planning and Monitoring Michael Kamung witnessed by Provincial Administrator Jacob Areman FAO and the people of Vanimo.
The opening is a milestone achievment for Wilyete Cocoa and first for West Sepik as a Province to have a Cocoa Processing Facility.
Owner and Manager for Wilyete Cocoa Processing Facility Tony Benedict said " This Cocoa Downstream Processing now brings much hope to our cocoa farmers in cultivating and increasing production."
Farmers around Vanimo Green and greater West Sepik Province will now look no further as Wilyete Cocoa Processing Facility has already provide a market for their cocoa beans in Vanimo.
" To our Farmers this facility is your home, it is a place where your hard work will be transformed into products that carry the name of West Sepik and Papua New Guinea to the world. And to the youths it is a beacon of possibility and progress into the future and a testament to what can be achieved when we share a common purpose" said Mr. Benedict.
Wilyete Cocoa Processing Facility will not come this far without the support of The FAO STREIT PNG Program.
Wilyete Cocoa is grateful to the European Union and FAO STREIT PNG for their partnership in funding the chocolate processing equipment.
"With your support we now have the tools to transform our cocoa beans into finished chocolate products, adding value to our homegrown harvest, creating opportunities for our rural farmers and strengthening the economy of Papua New Guinea" expressed Benedict.
For Mr. Benedict as a local business man, this journey has never been an easy one, every step of the project leading to now being the Province first Cocoa Processeing Facility has been self funded, without barks or government support.
Yet through resilence and determination Wilyete has built a factory that symbolizes independence, innovation and opporrunity for the people.
For the FAO STREIT Program this is a success story for them. As the program is coming to end this year after 6 years of being in the Sepik Region they now can see that farmers are now equipped with skills of growing and producing cocoa, roads, airstrips and jetties have been maintained to give access to farmers and now markets have been provided to the farmers.