Rubber business expands in Western

 THE Lake Murray Village rubber project in Western is the next biggest business after Ok Tedi mine as more than 3,500 growers from 21 villages have registered with North Fly Rubber Ltd.

 “We have 10,000 families involved in rubber activities, There are some groups that are planting rubber while other groups are producing and selling the product,” NFRL managing director Boo Kui Chew said.

“When the project started in 1993, the average annual income was roughly around K100,000 but in the last three years our farmers have earned around K21 million.

“You can clearly see the impact this project has on the rural community.  

“The most important thing everyone needs to know is that farmers or primary producers get the least amount of money while the processer or middle-man ends up with quite a lot.

“That is why we have set this company as a cooperative so that every farmer in this province is a shareholder. If they produce a lot of rubber, they earn a lot of money.”