Goroka co-op working for Vision 2050

THE Goroka-based Apo, Angra and Kange (AAK) Coffee Cooporative is 10 steps ahead in carrying out the government’s Vision 2050, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill was told last Friday in Goroka, Eastern Highlands.
General manager Brian Kuglame said the job of making PNG become “smart, wise, fair, healthy and happy society” by 2050 had already begun with his organisation.
Kuglame said AAK was concentrating on doing what many may consider insignificant but the truth was that it helped in achieving the target for an improved standard of living.
“AAK is 10 steps ahead to implement strategies towards achieving Vision 2050,” Kuglame said.
AAK has 81 coffee cluster groups in Eastern Highlands, Chimbu, Jiwaka and Western Highlands where the members had mobilised their coffee for direct export.
Kuglame said most of the members’ earnings were saved for their children’s school fees, medical expenses, home building materials, family expenses.
“The liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other natural resources, which are getting attention these days would one day be exhausted and the Dutch Disease would come.
“However, coffee would be here and it is here to stay,” Kuglame said.
 He said the third-level airlines should be exempted from paying corporate taxes so they could help coffee growers bring their produce to trading centres.
He appealed to the government to look into this if it really wanted to help coffee growers.