Agro diversification lacks backing

By JAMES KILA
LACK of finance for investment and working capital are amongst major obstacles to diversification, competitiveness and growth in agriculture.
This was pointed out by Ricky Mitio, chief executive officer of the Coffee Industry Corp, in a report to the Government following his trip to Brazil recently.
Mr Mitio represented the country at the global initiative on commodities conference in Brasillia, the capital of Brazil.
He said in the report, there was a need to design policies that effectively mobilise capital for financing diversification to give producers more options in improving their income.
A copy of the report was obtained by The National.
Mr Mitio pointed out that governments of developing countries like Papua New Guinea must act to improve the capacity of farmers and processors to meet product and process standards.
He said information about these standards should be relayed to producers, particularly smallholder farmers because it would guide them on how to come up with quality produce intended for export.
Mr Mitio said in area of value-chain issues, there was a need to increase the participation of small commodity producers in developing countries.
Mr Mitio said the Brazil conference was a big help in opening up many opportunities, especially in learning from the experiences of other countries that were actively engaged in commodity exports.


 

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