More help for coffee growers

COFFEE growers in Morobe and Oro provinces are likely to get more help from the Mainland Holdings Ltd (MHL) and the Coffee Industry Corp (CIC).
If all goes well, farmers in Simbu and East Sepik may also benefit.
This follows the signing of an agreement between Mainland Holdings, a big diversified company, and the Goroka-based CIC.
Under the deal, growers and shareholders will be assisted in new planting, growing, prunning, learning proper coffee processing techniques along with improved marketing system to give them better returns, MHL coffee division manager Yosh Reilly said
CIC chief executive officer Ricky Mitio and Mr Reilly signed the deal.
Mainland Holdings’ has 15 shareholders – 13 in Morobe and two in Oro province.
It started with coffee as its main business in the 1970s and in December last year, enhanced its coffee link when it purchased Niugini Coffee Tea and Spice (NCTS).
The coffee company has eight divisions and plans to include another one next year for vanilla in line with its aim to be a leading diversified company.
MHL and CIC would provide a coffee extension officer and sub-contract extension services to coffee growers.
Mr Mito said the expect to replicate the programme in other co-operatives.
“This is a new milestone and its success would see us replicate it in other provinces that had established co-operatives like Simbu, East Sepik and Oro,” Mr Mitio said.