Morobe cooperative society gets K1.6m boost

 A COOPERATIVE society in Morobe, Neknasi coffee growers cooperative society, received a K1.6 million boost yesterday.

PNG Sustainable Development Program (PNGDSP) funded K500,000 with the provincial government going kina for kina with Neknasi’s K400,000 and Nawaeb MP Gisuwat Siniwim  funded K300,000 from the district DSIP to the society. 

The money will go towards the construction of a new coffee mill and the Neknasi coffee cooperative manager’s residence.

Chairman Moung Bungun said the society currently had a membership of 2,000 and the financial contribution would significantly boost their production. “There’s a lot of people and groups out there asking for help but PNGSDP wants to help people who help themselves,” PNGSDP agriculture programme manager Potaisa Hombunaka said. 

Kabwum MP Bob Dadae said his joint district budget planning and budget priority committee agreed unanimously on Tuesday to partner with Nawaeb in the coffee sector.

“Neknasi cooperative society is one burning log, but you need to put in other logs to keep the fire burning and Kabwum is another log for you to add on to the fire,” Dadae said.   

Governor Kelly Naru said: “You have planted a coffee seed and it will grow into a big tree with abundant coffee cherries in the future.”