OCTOBER 10 2021
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has released K1.5 million for coffee development in remote Menyamya, Morobe, which produces some of the best coffee in Papua New Guinea.
He announced this at Menyamya Station on Friday (October 8 2021) in front of hundreds of people during his one-day visit.
PM Marape was accompanied by Education Minister Hon. Jimmy Uguro, Morobe Governor Hon. Ginson Saonu and Menyamya MP Hon. Benjamin Philip – who are all members of the ruling Pangu Pati.
He said that of the K1.5 million, K1 million would be for a coffee depot, while K500,000 would go towards coffee price support to be administered by local churches.
“I want the Menyamya District Administration to set up a good coffee-buying depot here for K1 million so farmers don’t need to carry heavy bags on their shoulders to find markets in Bulolo and Lae,” PM Marape said.
“I want coffee to be bought here at good prices, which farmers can collect, and then return to their gardens
“I want the churches to get the K500,000 and buy coffee at good prices.
“Our Government has put in place a price support programme to support coffee, cocoa, copra, vanilla and other agriculture produce.
“Coffee buyers who are buying here, and at Marawaka (Eastern Highlands) for K1.50 per kg, should now be paying K6 per kg.
“I want the Menyamya District Administration to partner with the churches in delivering this programme.
“I am engaging the churches so they can involve young people and get them back to their coffee gardens.
“The churches will then buy coffee at a good price.”
PM Marape said PNG was “one big garden” which he emphasized recently at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
“Our job as Government is to help you get your produce to markets,” he said.
“If five million Papua New Guineans go to agriculture, and produce one bag of coffee, cocoa or copra, you are contributing K1.5 billion extra on top of our current National Budget of K12 billion.”
PM Marape said the Pangu Pati, at the time of Independence in 1975, envisaged a PNG where everyone would have money but this had fallen by the wayside.
“We are now picking up and putting PNG back on the right road to economic independence, where everyone will have money in their pockets,” he said.
“When my Government realised that the price of coffee, cocoa and copra was very low, and deterring farmers, we decided to introduce price support and buying points at farm gate.”
