by Scott Waide – EM TV News, Lae
The Morobe provincial government is calling on the national government to increase its assistance in the areas of freight subsidies for coffee farmers in Morobe.
With the new growth by coffee cooperatives, the provincial government is challenging the national government to match its contribution “kina for kina.”
So far the Morobe provincial government has invested a million to subsidise freight.
With the growing presence of coffee cooperatives in the Morobe province, the Morobe provincial government is seeking greater intervention from Port Moresby.
It already has an arrangement with the coffee industry corporation in which its contributions of a million kina are being matched by the coffee regulating body.
But Governor, Kelly Naru, says the national government needs to provide more support to coffee farmers.
A large amount of the of coffee produced in the Morobe province comes from Kabwum, Nawaeb and Menyamya – areas that are quite difficult to get to.
The call for freight subsidies comes after recent announcements by the Civil aviation minister of a national government policy soon to be announced that aims to cut fuel costs for third level airlines.
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