Minister says dept will review growth, development policies

THE Department of Agriculture and Livestock will review its policies to open up avenues of growth and development in the sector, Minister Benny Allen says.
Allen said among the policies to be reviewed was Coffee Act which was outdated and not meeting challenges in the industry.
“It’s time we review the Act,” he said.
“PNG is one of the many coffee producing countries in the world; our contribution in the world market share is an average of one per cent or less. That’s a drop in the ocean.
“PNG coffee is known for its exotic flavor and intrinsic quality. Hence we must translate the value of the quality and reward our farmers accordingly.”
Allen said despite producing less than one million bags annually, PNG exports to over 34 countries.
“This is an indication of the uniqueness of our coffee loved and enjoyed by consumers in those countries,” he said.
“Is the price received by our farmers rewarding and satisfactory? Is the market signal reaching our farmers and are they informed of the market trends and developments?
“Are the farmers ready to step up and meet the market demands and delivery required quality and quantity constantly?,” Allen asked.
He said practical solutions were needed in the symposium.
“We all can share ideas and experiences and customise some of our mode of operation and polices that will have a greater positive impact on our farmers,” Allen said.
“We need to promote PNG coffee. We have to look outside and promote PNG coffee.”