By ZACHERY PER
LACK of rural transport infrastructure impedes smooth hauling of agricultural produce to the market.
Coffee growers in parts of Oro, East Sepik and Sandaun provinces expressed these concerns yesterday.
They were in Goroka following their coffee that were pooled together to enter the international cupping competition underway at the University of Goroka.
Chry Yapuro, a member of the Giema Coffee Co-operative in the Binadere area of Yoma sub-district, Oro province, said there was lots of coffee in his area that could not be brought to the markets.
“Lack of transportation denies coffee growers in our area from accessing open markets to get good price for their coffee,” he said.
Mr Yapuro said they were able to move some bags of coffee when they formed their co-operative and affiliated with the PNG Coffee Growers Federation.
He told The National that he spent K130 on transport to get into Goroka by sea to Lae and by PMV to Goroka to see the cupping competition.
Yambi Irung of Upesa Coffee Cooperative in the Tawae-Siassi area also admitted transportation difficulties forced them to refrain from active coffee growing.
He said they started to revive coffee growing when they joined the PNGCGF.
“However, the roads and bridges that we rely on are deteriorating beyond repair, thus, coffee had been left stranded,” he said.
Mr Irung also said it was good for the international coffee cuppers to come to PNG to show the small farmers where their coffee went.
He said they no longer stop with the road side buyers because the federation had opened up opportunities for them to penetrate the international market.
A veteran in the co-operative commodity marketing strategy, Joe Cornelius, who heads the cooperatives in the East Sepik and Sandaun provinces, also expressed similar concerns.