Coffee industry needs help

 By PETER ESOP WARI

THE failure by past provincial governments in Southern Highlands to enhance coffee growers’ skills has led to the industry’s demise, a farmer said.

Peter Agu, a plantation owner in Mendi-Munihu district said in 1999 he started his 32ha plantation with K150,000 hoping to get something out of it.

“Being unemployed was a hurdle I had to face each day but I was determined to achieve something.

“There was no help in the past two years from the provincial government to revive the coffee industry.

“People were talking about gold, oil and gas and agriculture was given last priority.

“Agriculture should have been given top priority by the government as it could minimise law and order problems in the country.”

Coffee Industry Corporation general manager Dr Mark Kenny said the problem was the absence of activity plans as growers do not know who to consult hence a decline in productivity.