|
Business |
Copra trading steady
COPRA trading remains steady throughout the country despite a
price drop to US$500 (K1,390) per tonne from the recent highs of
US$800 to US$900 (K2,469 to K2,777).
Incidentally, Tore Ovasuru, managing director of the Kokonas
Indastri Koporesen (KIK) had reported an outbreak of a coconut
pest in the country.
He said the pest could affect coconut production as a result of
low yields from the diseased trees, which in turn could reduce the
volume of copra output in the country’s coconut region.
Mr Ovasuru said bio-agents had been released at the Pacific
Adventist University (PAU) to contain the recent outbreak on
coconut trees.
He explained that the insect was called Rhinoceros beetle that
attacks coconuts and other palms.
He said there were two species of these insects scientifically
known as Scapanese and Orycete.
The latter was introduced to East New Britain and New Ireland from
Asia and recently to PAU while the Scapanese is native to PNG and
is found across the country.
“Both beetles attack coconuts and often make way for the Black
palm weevils to breed in the trunk of the palms … it also causes
defoliation of the leaves resulting in a yield loss,” Mr Ovasuru
explained.
There seems to be no serious threat to the palms as yet as the
beetles can be controlled while the palms are young (from one year
old to seven years old) by constantly collecting the adults and
the larvae.
“Phermones traps had been designed by the KIK Research Development
& Extension Institute and the PNG Cocoa & Copra Industry
facilitate this method of control.”
In other developments with KIK, Mr Ovasuru revealed that there
will be a new oil mill in Gerehu which will serve as market for
copra producers in the Southern region.
 
|
