Cocoa farmers in the Markham district of Morobe province stand to benefit from a pledged funding of K5 million from the government targeting the improvement of the local cocoa industry. This funding was announced by the prime minister at Mutzing station on Good Friday while he was there to open a new district administration complex and launch the district’s Five- Year Development Plan 2023- 2027. Prime Minister (PM) James Marape said this investment, which would go to the District Development Authority, is targeted for the development of the cocoa industry among other economic ventures, aligning with the surge in global cocoa prices to unprecedented levels. “Cocoa is now paying K1, 300 per bag,” said the prime minister. “There is money in cocoa, corn, taro, coffee, oil palm. If you want the Government to bring in development, you too must work for your country.” Marape also laid out a vision for grassroots economic empowerment, suggesting that if 5, 000 young men from Markham engage in agriculture, earning K10, 000 each annually, it could inject K50 million into the district's economy. That is a massive revenue for the district to be used to improve services and development for the people of Markham. Prime Minister Marape, who has been a staunch advocate for agriculture since assuming office in 2019, says the Markham district can benefit a lot from cocoa just like the successes in the Sepik provinces, Bougainville, and East New Britain, where locals have significantly benefited from high crop prices. He then challenged the people of Markham to embrace the example of people in these provinces, and harness the full potential of their land for substantial economic gain.