Growing Ng Cocoa Industry

A New Conference in April

New Standards Sought For

From COLIN SINCLAIR , in Port Moresby.

The talks between New Guinea cocoa producers’ repre sentatives and Administration officers, recently held in Rabaul, may result in legislation for the creation of an export standard for the Territory’s cocoa.

F:e legislation may also provide for the registration of persons, other than growers, who export jocoa.

The Rabaul talks were arranged jy the Director of Agriculture, Mr. x. E. P. Dwyer, following repre >entations from the Planters’ Asso nation of New Guinea for a iiscussion on these aspects of cocoa narketing.

The main session of the confer ence was between the executive council of the Planters’ Association md Mr. Dwyer.

The conference introduced a ligger one to be held in April, which lull be open to representatives of all sersons and interests concerned in he growing and marketing of Terri ory cocoa.

Chairman of the meeting was Mr. )on Barrett, president of the banters’ Association.

Planters' Views Opening the conference, Mr. larrett presented the following iews of the Association; • The proposed legislation must afeguard the cocoa industry gener lly but must, in addition, safeguard le interests of the individual groups r ho were sufficiently interested and areful to produce cocoa of good uality. • It was essential, therefore, that n export standard be set to apply iroughout Papua-New Guinea. • Cocoa reaching this standard lould be designated by standard larkings.

"Don't Want Grading" • Cocoa not reaching this standard lould not be debarred from the market but should have no warranty. • All cocoa entered for export lould be inspected. • Individual markings adopted by roducers should be continued, as nder present customs. • It should be possible for ex orters other than growers to be igistered and to sell under their vn marks. • A person offering cocoa for tie to a registered exporter should 'oduce, if required, a certificate of gistration as a grower.

Continuing to address the conference, Mr. Barrett stressed that the suggestions made by the Planters’

Association did not mean that grading of cocoa should be introduced.

“What we ask for is a suitable export standard with a suitable name but we do not want grading,” ' . , Immediately after the initial stages of the main conference, Mr. Dwyer

produced the draft legislation which had been drawn up by his depart ment and asked for suggestions on it.

Mr. Barrett put forward amend ments reflecting the opinion of the Planters’ Association, the main points of which were; • The inclusion of a definition of what is meant by standard cocoa. • Provision for the grower or ex porter to appeal against classifica tion of cocoa and for the appeal to be heard by a committee consisting of Department of Agriculture officers and producer representatives.

The planters want the provisions for the registration of exporters and the production of a certificate of registration as a grower by a person selling cocoa to prevent dealings in stolen cocoa.

It is expected that the April con ference will deal with the general problems of growing and marketing Territory cocoa, and will be much

wider than the latest one-

Aap-

Reuter.