Deal ensures coconut plantation undergoes rehabilitation

THE Mariawatte coconut plantation in Milne Bay will be rehabilitated following a memorandum of understanding signed between the Kokonas Indastri Koporesen (KIK) and the Suau local level government.
National Planning Minister Sam Basil said coconuts planted in the 1940s needed to be replaced.
The more than 300 hectares plantation is located 100km from Alotau and owned by Tiripu Tupagogo and Sons Limited which was incorporated in 1998 and fully locally owned.
KIK development officers began the 10,000 coconut seedling nursery in June at Mariawatte.
Milne Bay produced more than 12,000 metric tonnes of copra generating more than K17 million in export revenue to the province in the past five years.
Basil welcomed the deal between the KIK and the Suau LLG to rehabilitate the plantation and establish the Agriculture Innovation and Research Centre in the province.
He said the Mariawatte plantation was strategically located and could reach out to Mailu and Central.
Milne Bay administrator Ashan Numa thanked the Department of National Planning and Monitoring and KIK for their support.
Numa said Milne Bay had allocated K100,000 to the LLGs and bought tractors to help farmers.
KIK representative Douglas Maip said the deal marked a new era for the coconut farmers of Suau.