Pomio to pack coffee

Business, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday January 13th, 2016

 COFFEE growers in Pomio district of East New Britain will soon process and pack their beans locally, according to a local MP. 

Pomio MP Elias Kapavore said local farmers had, over the years, sold their coffee beans to New Guinea Islands Produce Agmark and other buyers to export to Lae and other centres. “This will now change.  Under its agriculture development plan, the Pomio District Development Authority (DDA) will build a coffee factory this year,” Kapavore said. 

He said a Port Moresby-based coffee manufacturing company would be engaged to process coffee beans into finished products. Kapavore said  coffee was now an alternative for oil palm which does not grow in the higher altitudes of Pomio.

“The Pomio District Development Authority will work with Superior Coffee to establish markets for this project.”

He said bringing the project to the district would also encourage farmers to grow and expand their coffee blocks.

“People need to be economically empowered to make a change in their communities.

“Pomio can no longer wait after 40-years for change to come from outside.”