By ZACHERY PER
OVER 80,000 bags of exportable coffee from the Momase, Milne Bay and Oro provinces, have been left to deteriorate in Lae after the coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) refused to renew the export licence of PNG Coffee Growers Federation (PNGCGF).
Chairmen of smaller coffee co-operatives affiliated to PNGCGF yesterday raised serious concern that they were not able to sell their coffee to earn the money to pay for their children’s school fees.
Kapakamarigi coffee co-operative chairman Lulu Jecko in the Lower Bena area said small coffee farming families, who relied heavily on coffee to finance their children’s education were now struck with bad luck.
He said as major stakeholders in the coffee industry, the CIC had to immediately renew their export licence so they could export their coffee bags now stranded in Lae to pay for their children’s school fees.
Mr Jecko said allowing the coffee to rot was against the Government’s Medium term Development Strategy (MTDS) and that of the national Agriculture Development Plan (NADP).
Simeon Wanimuni of Danga coffee co-operative in Agaun in the Rabaraba district, Milne Bay province, called on CIC to re-open the Erap coffee mill in Morobe so that they could process over 600 bags of coffee they had shipped to Lae for processing.
CIC last month shut down the Erap mill that processed most of PNGCGF’s coffee coming from Milne Bay, Oro, Morobe, Madang, East Sepik and Sandaun provinces.
It stated that the operator of the mill, Solop Coffee did not have an operating licence, which was the reason for the closure.
Mr Wanimuni asked why the industry regulator was doing this when they are doing exactly, what was being preached to put more money back into small family units purse.
“Why can’t CIC take on big players in the industry than taking on us, a small organisation representing the interest of small growers?” he asked.
Pitak Gamana, chairman of Bugam co-operative of Leron-Watut area of Morobe province said the Erap mill processed coffee from the Momase, Oro and Milne Bay provinces but farmers were now discouraged after its closure.
CIC chief executive officer Ricky Mitio was out of Goroka and could not be reached for comments yesterday.