7 Jan 2008

Farmers in Solomon Islands expecting good cocoa and copra prices

6:32 am on 7 January 2008

Farmers in Solomon Islands are expecting benefits from favourable world market prices for cocoa and copra this year.

General manager of Commodities, Exporting and Marketing Manager, Moses Pelomo, says the price of copra is expected to be the same as of the end of last year or increase.

He told the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation this is because of the demand for coconut products and coconut oil globally.

Mr Pelomo says another reason why copra prices are expected to increase this year is that Philippines, the world's biggest copra producer, is recovering from a cyclone which devastated its plantations.

He says cocoa price is expected to be same as that of last year.

Mr Pelomo urges cocoa and copra producers to produce quality products this year to be able to reap the benefits of these favourable prices.