Agarobe hopes coffee production will open roads, airstrips

Business

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
HIGH coffee production in Goilala will encourage the Government to build roads and reopen airstrips to link the mountainous district to Port Moresby, Central Governor Robert Agarobe says.
“You (coffee farmers) must not only continue producing coffee, you must increase yields and production,” he said.
“Only then will the Government will see the economic and revenue potential to build roads and reopen airstrips that were closed more than 20 years ago.
“The Government wants to get your coffee to the world market and to improve its national economy.
“The road will also bring in other Government services like education and health.
“Right now, there are no economic activities here so, you are not connected to Port Moresby.
“But if there is high coffee production, I believe such infrastructure will come.”
Agarobe was speaking at the launch of a coffee huller in Central’s Goilala on Friday.
He also provided tools such as pruning knives, a coffee hand mill and tarpaulins to the Ononge Coffee Cooperative Society.
“In our provincial plan, we list agriculture as a priority because all our people are farmers,” he said,
“We have one crop per district concept: Goilala has coffee; Kairuku – rice; Rigo – livestock; and, Abau – cocoa.”