Highlands farmers praise K50mil price subsidy

FARMERS in the Highlands say the K50 million for price subsidy for major commodities is good and must continue.
The Awute Coffee Producers Ltd managing director Hukoro Awute from Goroka, said since Independence, there was not enough attention given to rural economy development in Papua New Guinea.
“I’ve being in the coffee industry for more than 50 years,’ he said.
“This is the first of its kind for the Government to help farmers who have been waiting patiently for such an intervention.
“This is a direct cash injection for rural farmers, who have been struggling for many years.”
Awute said this last week when officials from price support and agriculture intervention programme from the Department of Agriculture and Livestock visited.
He said the sustainability of the programme was vital.
“This is a very good initiative and the Government must continue funding it for the good of the people,” he said.
Farmer John Banda, 46, and his wife have been cultivating potato seedlings the past eight years in Gembogl, Chimbu, thanked the Government for the initiative.
Banda said hardworking farmers in the rural areas were neglected over the years.
“I understand that the obvious failure of extension services throughout PNG may be a contributing factor in the Government’s negligence of village-based farmers,” he said.
“However, funds were transferred to the provinces while the Government funds that are supposed to go straight to farmers remained in Waigani or Vulupindu Haus.”
Meanwhile, Kelly Inae, the managing director of the Helping Hand Honey Producer in Goroka said over the years, governments had ignored the needs of rural farmers, raising hopes by setting up overdue sector support funding and then wasting it.
“We all know that agriculture is the most important activity for many citizens and such initiatives will help almost three quarters of the population,” he said.