Supplier wants rules on jute bags reviewed

AN agricultural supplies store is calling on the Government and the Coffee Industry Corporation to revise its regulation on jute bags.
CIC requirements insist that the bags be double-lined.
But the major retailer said yesterday that the regulation was set when the road system was not efficient.
It also added cost onto the price of PNG coffee, an executive of the store said.
Industry sources said there would be no problem with having single-lined jute bags to export coffee.
But the requirement had to be changed.
The shortage of jute bags, an industry source said, cannot only be blamed on the flooding in Pakistan and Bangladesh, but also on an increase in demand on the world market.
He said he was informed so by manufacturers in Bangladesh of the surge.
Major retailer, Farmset said it had one container in its yard yesterday and was expecting two more next week.
Chemica had two and was expecting another three.
Both shops said there would be enough bags for the peak period – the coffee season starts in March.
Coffee miller Busu Coffee has thanked Chemica for bringing in 80,000 jute bags that would enable them to export their coffee.
The company was one of many that had been in a dilemma following the shortage of jute bags in Papua New Guinea.
Supervisor Darren Poka made this remarks yesterday following the arrival of jute bags over the weekend.
He also thanked Niugini Coffee Tea and Spice (NCTS), subsidiary of Mainland Holdings Ltd for providing them about 1,000 jute bags during the shortage.
The company was one of three main suppliers of coffee to exporter NCTS.