Prime Minister James Marape has officially launched the National Coffee Structure and Policy Framework at Banz, Jiwaka Province on Friday.
One of the key aims by the new Coffee Ministry under Pioneer Minister Joe Kuli is to see 2500 coffee trees per family in the coffee growing areas around the country.
The event was attended by Prime Minister James Marape, Finance and Planning Minister Rainbo Paita, Agriculture Minister Aiye Tambua and his vice Minister, Oil Palm Minister Francis Maneke, including Governors for Western Highlands and Jiwaka, along with local Jiwaka MPs, including two representatives of investors from the United States attended the launching.
Prime Minister James in his keynote speech called on the people to start going back to their land to farm Coffee.
He said the government is working towards improving the lives of the rural community, and commended the new Coffee Minister Joe Kuli for taking the first step in setting the roadmap for coffee industry.
“The opposition that is in the Media, the opposition that is in the corporate world, has closed our eyes and put us in prison for a long time until today” Prime Minister said.
“The opposition in politics said Marape talked too much and I asked them, you look at the coffee price today at K6 will go up to K7 to K8”
“This policy launching will see A grade coffee will be buying at K9 to K13. B grade coffee will be at K8 to K12 and C grade coffee will be at K7 to K11”
“You will provide the land for coffee when prices right” Marape added.
The Prime Minister also challenged youths and school leavers not to give up hope and resorting to drugs, alcohol and crime.
“If I don’t drink beer or smoke marijuana, I am not death and I am still alive” Marape said.
“All my sons and daughters, last three years we brought K55 000 school dropout back to second chance education”
“Ask your members to open the pathway to second chance education”
“We opened and rolled out already Flexible Open Distance Education so that the grade 8, 10 and 12 leavers can go back to second chance education”
“Education is not only about you completing grade 12 and university and secure a white collar job, no! Education is about you open your mindset and makes money for your life”
Meanwhile, all the leaders expressed the need for people to work together to have the policy working.
The Prime Minister also announced that K2 million each has been delivered to selected coffee producing districts in the region and the funding program will phase out to other districts.
He also announced K5 million each for Jiwaka and Western Highlands Provincial governments to focus on Coffee rehabilitation programs and taking stock of coffee farmers.
