Kombuk raises concern

THE production volume of cocoa, coffee and copra has dropped because of non-intervention support from the Government, an official says.
Agriculture and Livestock secretary Daniel Kombuk said up to 83 per cent of the production volume were by the smallholders.
“The smallholder farmers are the people who live in the village and their daily lives depend on agriculture,” he said.
Kombuk said the backbone of the country was agriculture and the Government must focus on the sector.
A copra price support programme was launched by Minister for Agriculture and Livestock John Simon last Thursday in Kokopo, East New Britain.
“I want to thank the Government for recognising the hardship the farmers are going through and has supported the Minster for Agriculture and Livestock with this price support programme,” Kombuk said.
He said the department would work with the KIK (Kokonas Indastri Koporesen) to promote the copra industry in ENB.
Meanwhile, Bitapaka local level government president Cosmas Bauk thanked Simon for the copra price support programme.
Bauk said the programme would greatly benefit farmers in the province.