K5mil for borer threat ‘too low’

THE Rural Industries Council says the K5 million allocated by the Government in the 2017 supplementary budget to address the coffee berry borer menace is “extremely low”.
Chairman Sir Brown Bai called on the government to properly resource the coffee industry in the 2018 budget to fight the coffee berry borer which is affecting Jiwaka and Eastern Highlands mostly.
“The council learns from the 2017 supplementary budget that only K5 million was allocated towards the coffee industry to deal with the borer. This amount is extremely low compared to the K60 million request put forward last year by the former Minister for Agriculture Tommy Tomscoll,” Sir Brown said.
He said coffee affected more than 1.6 million people directly.
“Most of the Highlands provinces and coastal areas, notably Western Highlands, Eastern Highlands, Chimbu and Morobe are leading coffee producers. Smallholder coffee farmers that account for 92.4 per cent of total coffee production do not have the capacity to eradicate such diseases.
“They urgently need government support. Moreover, coffee is Papua New Guinea’s second-highest export revenue earner.
“Its contributions at community and national levels are extremely important.
“The national coffee berry borer eradication and control programme deserves every support.”
Sir Brown said almost all of Papua New Guinea’s export commodities were experiencing some form of pest and disease problems.
“Papua New Guinea must set up a vibrant research and plant breeding programmes to produce new varieties of all these crops that are resistant to such diseases,” he said.
“In the same way, there is an urgent need to properly resource and equip Naqia (National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority) so that it can protect Papua New Guinea from the entry of foreign plant and animal diseases.
“The government has rightfully place high development priority on agriculture.
“PNG national development strategy going forward must be to immediately emphasise the growth and expansion of current crops and lift them to new heights.”