The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MALD), through its Commercial Agriculture Development Project, has handed over a grant worth SBD750,000 to Kokonut Pacific Solomon Islands (KPSI) to support the purchase of a cocoa butter press machine.
Presenting the cheque, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Hon. Franklyn Derek Wasi said the support reflects the government’s strong commitment to promoting agribusiness growth and strengthening the agriculture sector in Solomon Islands.
Minister Wasi said the assistance aligns with MALD’s policy priority of positioning agriculture as the economic backbone of the country, and also forms part of preparations for Solomon Islands to host the FAO Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Solutions Forum from June 22 to 26.
“The forum will involve multiple ministries engaged in food systems and will highlight innovative approaches and successful public-private partnerships that strengthen agriculture and agribusiness across the Pacific Island Countries,” he said.
KPSI Managing Director Bob Pollard welcomed the support, noting the direct benefits it will deliver to cocoa farmers.
“I’m pleased to be standing here on behalf of Kokonut Pacific and all the farmers we represent,” Pollard said. “To put this into context, the current cocoa farm-gate price is around SBD30 per kilogram. With the butter-making machine, we will be able to purchase beans at SBD40 per kilogram, providing a premium price to our farmers.”
He said the investment will allow KPSI to share improved margins with growers, resulting in meaningful income gains at the farm level.
“The impact is very real for our farmers. We genuinely appreciate the confidence and trust the Ministry has placed in the mid-farm sector,” Pollard said.
The cocoa butter press machine is a key component of cocoa and chocolate processing, enabling the conversion of cocoa liquor into two high-value products—cocoa butter and cocoa cake, which is further milled into cocoa powder. This ensures full utilisation of the cocoa bean while improving efficiency and profitability.
Modern hydraulic presses allow precise control of fat content to meet varying chocolate specifications, while solvent-free mechanical processes preserve the natural flavour, aroma and functional properties of cocoa butter. Controlled processing temperatures also help prevent product degradation.
The Commercial Agriculture Development Program Support Fund was established by MALD to help small- and medium-scale agribusinesses acquire critical equipment needed to strengthen value-addition operations.
MALD said enhancing local processing capacity supports its broader objectives of improving food security, promoting commercial agriculture and increasing farmer incomes. By enabling agribusinesses to move further into value addition, the ministry aims to reduce reliance on imported food products, support import substitution and strengthen national economic resilience.
