Oil palm fruit price review asked

GOVERNMENT agencies are “stalling” on important national issues affecting the livelihood of thousands of smallholder oil palm producers, Hoskins Oil Palm Growers Association chairman Willie Nilmore said.
In a statement yesterday, Mr Nilmore said State agencies including departments of Treasury and Agriculture and Livestock were dragging their feet, prompting the growers to demand full explanation over the delays in conducting a review on the small holders’ oil palm fresh fruit bunch (FFB) pricing formula agreed by the Government commodity working group last February.
“We’ve waited since 2002 for a review and this was grossly rude, insulting and totally unfair on the part of the State agencies that are funded by taxpayers to perform their statutory responsibilities to protect the growers’ interest,” Mr Nilmore stressed.
The growers wanted Agriculture and Livestock Minister John Hickey to immediately follow up and direct his department secretary Anton Benjamin to act on all other outstanding issues for the long-term benefit of the industry.
Mr Nilmore said tenders were called for independent consultants to undertake a review with a commitment of K500,000 by the last Somare government, but DAL was slow in accessing the funds.
He noted that former agriculture and livestock minister Sasa Zibe (current Health and HIV/AIDS minister) persuaded the commodity working group to approve an interim pay-out ratio of 80%, but was halted when the executives of milling companies protested to Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare.
The milling companies claimed the review was too excessive and Mr Zibe was only supporting the growers.