A copra farmer on Karkar Island wants the Kokonas Indastri Koporasen (KIK) to reconsider its decision on terminating an interim license of a third copra buying company on the island. Matru Damon says KIK must revisit its decision given that farmers want more competition to lift the copra price.
Damon further noted that copra farmers are owners of copra, and they should be allowed to choose who they want to sell their produce to.
Matru Damon is one of many copra farmers on Karkar Island who is welcoming more copra buyers to set up buying depots on the island. He said copra production is a difficult job to do yet very little revenue is generated from it, thus, farmers want more buyers on the island so they can get more value out of each of their copra bags sold to buyers.
“There is a lot of hard work in copra, but the people on Karkar Island do not see the full benefits of this business.”
Recently farmers have been vocal on Kokonas Indastri Koporesen’s decision to terminate an interim license of a company from buying copra on the island. The farmers are against this resolution and calls have been made for KIK to revisit its decision.
“Who gave the license? If KIK gave the license, why are they terminating it? And who has its own interests?”
Damon has also questioned KIK interest and its roles and responsibilities in making sure copra farmers get the best deal out from their produce, asking where was KIK in the last two decades when Karkar Islanders were still struggling to maximise their income.
By Martha Louis – EMTV News, Madang
