Coffee cooperatives seek govt support

By ZACHERY PER
A TEAM from the Apo Angra Angna Kange (AAAK) Coffee Cooperative in the Highlands region is seeking a meeting with Agriculture Secretary Dr Vele Pat Ila’ava in an attempt to persuade the government to help them fight a coffee pest.
The team will meet coffee industry chief executive Charles Dambui to try to make an appointment to see Ila’ava about the coffee berry borer which is continuing to damage coffee trees at an alarming rate.
AAAK is carrying out an awareness programme  about the pest and the damage it is causing.
According to AAAK Coffee Cooperative general manager Brian Kuglame, they began the programme in Yonki and moved on to  Kainantu, Henganofi and Goroka.
He said they would move on to Chimbu, Jiwaka and Western Highlands where most of the active members of the cooperative had coffee plots and were living.
“Coffee is a renewable resource that stimulates businesses, coffee brings in foreign exchange and gives hope to families,” Kuglame said.
Kuglame said when the awareness team visited Apo Cluster Four at the Gimiyufa village near Asaro station in Daulo district ( Eastern Highlands) they were surprised to discover that a huge coffee plot owned by the cluster leader, Rex Illailo, was infested with the coffee berry borer.
“The team discovered that nearly all the coffee beans on every tree in the garden was infected” he said.
Kuglame expressed concern at the lack of prompt action by the government and Coffee Industry Corporation to stop the spread of the pest.