Madang govt’s copra subsidy boosts price by 25 per cent
COPRA price in Madang has gone up by about 25 per cent as a result of a subsidy recently introduced by Governor Peter Yama.
Ken Fairweather, Karkar Island’s small-scale copra grower and producer and former Sumkar MP, said about 40,000 copra farmers in Madang would benefit from the subsidy. The price went up from K90 per kg to K125 per kg.
Fairweather said the increase was “a lot”.
“This subsidy is a great idea and should keep going,” he said.
“This is what the government should be doing, subsidising the farmers.”
Fairweather said farmers in Karkar, Sumkar, Bogia and Rai Coast welcomed the price intervention by Yama.
He urged the Government to also subside coffee and cocoa, and fertilisers.
A statement from the Rural Industries Council and Palm Oil Producers Association of PNG said the Government had increased levies and fees during the Covid-19, Fairweather said the taxing of fertiliser was the reverse of what should be happening to agri-businesses.
“Cocoa for example will produce 60 per cent more if fertilised on the same area,” he said.
“Vegetables is more than that,” Fairweather said.
“As the kina goes down, fertiliser price goes up.
“These new taxes show complete inexperience and it seems our leadership knows nothing about fundamental economics.”
One thought on “Madang govt’s copra subsidy boosts price by 25 per cent”
Freight fuel subsidies play their part in helping grass roots agriculture.
Happily there seems to also be a push by DAL to increase the production of coconut, cocoa and coffee by family units. They should not be tempted into planting on blocks too big for the family unit to manage. One of the major factors of yield in these 3 commodities is that a family regularly clears undergrowth.
Coconuts can be then be interplanted with food for the families and the fallen palm fronds, husked coconut shells and slashed grass or weeds will provide natural free fertiliser.
Additionally coffee and cocoa as well as their block being kept clean will need regular pruning and tree hygiene to allow air and light into the trees helping to prevent fungus or other pests. This will increase yield without the need for expensive fertilisers. Indeed if farmers can link with Organic agricultural organisations they will receive premium prices for their products provided they do not use artificial fertilisers.
KIK has calculated that a basic sized family block can produce sufficient yield to provide the farming families with a basic income that will cater for their basic needs and school fees without resorting to artificial fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides
Comments are closed.