Papua New Guinea’s cocoa expo opens in Wewak, bringing together farmers, leaders and international partners and underlining national unity as top cocoa winners near announcement.
Papua New Guinea’s cocoa sector moved firmly into the spotlight this week as the Greater Sepik Cocoa of Excellence & Trade Expo opened in Wewak.
The opening ceremony was marked by a strong show of national unity, with senior officials and parliamentarians joining cocoa farmers, provincial leaders and international guests from multiple continents.. Among those on stage were Georgina Roberts, East Sepik Governor Allan Bird, Public Service Minister and Nuku MP Joe Sungi, and Wewak MP Stanley Samban—names that signaled the importance of agriculture beyond the farm gate.
Also present were 13 international partners, including chocolatiers and buyers, as well as chocolate boutique owners and traders who travelled from Europe, Asia, America, Australia and New Zealand.. Their presence reflected a wider pull toward Papua New Guinea’s cocoa, as global companies look for reliable quality and traceable supply.. For local farmers, it also meant the expo wasn’t just a cultural showcase—it was tied directly to trade relationships.
Samban delivered the official welcome, while Cocoa Board of PNG CEO Jesse Anjen acknowledged the effort behind the event. The support, he pointed to, came from provinces and districts that helped bring the expo together and create the conditions for local participation.
A visible theme throughout the day was the breadth of representation from across the cocoa-growing map.. Farmers from all six districts in East Sepik—Wewak, Maprik, Angoram, Ambunti-Dreikikir, Yangoru-Saussia and Wosera-Gawi—joined farmers from West Sepik and other provinces including Morobe, Madang, Milne Bay, Central, Western Highlands, Jiwaka and Chimbu.. With more than ten provinces represented at provincial and district levels, the turnout suggested an industry that is increasingly coordinated, not scattered.
For Milne Bay, the stakes carry extra weight, with the province present to defend its title. That kind of competition adds energy to expos, but it also pushes producers to think about quality standards—something that can be felt in how samples are prepared, handled and assessed.
The expo arrives after final judging was completed for the top 59 cocoa samples under international standards.. The top three winners are expected to be announced on the third day of the show on April 23, 2026, turning the event into a countdown for both recognition and market visibility.. In the background, that process matters because it links local farming practices to criteria that overseas buyers and processors understand.
Why national unity matters in cocoa trade
Quality and competition ahead of the winners
The atmosphere in Wewak also underlines how agriculture can act as a bridge.. Farmers, markets and international partners share the same space, turning cocoa into a meeting point for economic connection as well as pride in local production.. Over the next days, as the expo continues and the top winners move closer to their announcement, the message is likely to stay consistent: Papua New Guinea’s cocoa is not just being showcased for its taste and quality, but also for what it can bring together across the country—and beyond it.