‘Don’t cheat our farmers’

EXPORTERS of commodities must not cheat farmers when buying their produce, says Agriculture and Livestock Minister John Simon.
Simon said they must buy according to the current market price.
“If the price is set at K10, they must buy K10 and not K3 or K2,” he said.
“Exporters must not cheat, they must be honest with themselves and with our people.
“They (farmers) are not your plantation labourers.
“Why have you been doing this?
“That’s why our people gave up and production started to go down.
“I am not saying I am not interested in them (exporters).
“They are supporting the industry, but my interest is now the farmers.”
Simon also said that if production increased, farmers and exporters would benefit.
“How can we increase production?” he said.
“Papua New Guineans are price takers.
“If there is money, they will work.
“If there is no money, they will not work.”