ABOUT 200 labourers from Tibi coffee and tea plantation in Baisu outside Mt Hagen are likely to lose their jobs.
This follows last weekend’s freak hailstorm that destroyed an estimated K1.2 million worth of coffee trees, tea and food crops at the Tibi plantation.
Plantation owner So Mae said he was still assessing the loss of his business as the hailstorm destroyed more than half of the coffee and tea crops in his 162ha plantation.
He said the storm completely destroyed all matured coffee cherries and tea leaves that were ready for harvesting, adding that now it would take another six months for the plantation to resume full production.
Mr Mae said the disaster had also affected more then 200 labourers who work at the plantation.
He said about half of the workforce would be laid off from work until such time production returns to normal.
He said his plantation earned about K24,000 a month from the sale of tea alone but with the destruction, he was now in for a big loss.
Mr Mae said his labourers, who lived within the vicinity of the plantation, were affected by severe food shortage as the hailstorm had destroyed their food gardens and crops too.
He also reported that a couple of water tanks were destroyed by the storm.
He said his labourers were the backbone of his plantation and for him to lay them off would mean a big loss to his business, and the labourers’ would also be affected as their survival depended on their jobs.
Plantation manager Stanley Konga confirmed the consequences.
He said due to the disaster, the company had to make the crucial decision to lay off the workmen for the company to stay on its feet.
Mr.Konga said the labourers were from Enga, Southern Highlands, Western Highlands and Simbu provinces, who had been with the plantation for many years.
He said the provincial disaster team visited the affected areas but it might take a while before help was provided.