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| CIC seeks release of funds | |
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By ZACHERY PER THE Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) is seeking the immediate release of it share of money from the National Agriculture Development Plan (NADP) to cover losses incurred from the month-long closure of the Okuk Highway. CIC board chairman Pugma Kopi said they are asking the Department of Agriculture and Livestock to remit CIC’s share of the K10 million under NADP to immediately implement a coffee stock retention scheme. He said a bi-partisan committee is assessing the losses suffered after the Gera landslide cut off the highway for a month, preventing highlands coffee from being transported down to Lae for export. “The magnitude of the effects of the landslide was far greater than the Aitape tsunami, Rabaul volcano eruptions and the Oro disaster,” Mr Kopi said. He said four weeks of no coffee movement from the highlands to the coastal sea ports is too long. The CIC board resolutions have been presented to Agriculture and Livestock Secretary Anton Benjamin. Mr Kopi could not put a figure on the losses as assessments were still in progress. Minister John Hickey who was in Goroka on Friday indicated that the Government would inject money into CIC under the NADP. He, however, did not give any amount. |
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