Exec urges farmers be paid global market price

PNG Spice Industry Board chief executive officer Nelson Simbiken says spice farmers must be paid close to global market price for various products.
Simbiken told The National that the world market price for vanilla was around K600/kg internationally and farmers must be paid between K450 and K500/kg.
“The world market price is steady at the moment,” he told The National.
“What we are saying now is that most of the exporters are not paying the farmers appropriate price for their crop.
“The spice industry board is looking at having consultation with all the licensed exporters so that they have a level-playing field when they are buying spices.
“For the Government, we will like to bring the world market price straight to the farm gate.
“We are saying that if the world market price is such as vanilla, right now the world market price is around K600 per kilo.
The exporters and buyers should be buying it at K450 to K500 per kilo.
“So if they are paying less than that then they are under cutting and they are making bigger profit and paying less to the growers and they miss out on the market price that is current.”