The National Planning Department has come to the aid of rural coffee farmers, making available one million kina for freight subsidy to help farmers take their beans to the market.
Planning Minister Sam Basil presented the cheque to the Coffee Industry Corporation in Goroka recently.
Minister Basil acknowledged the contribution of coffee in building the country’s economy since independence and stressed the importance of funding this sector.
The coffee industry he said generates close to 500 – 600 thousand kina annually and creates thousands of jobs both directly and indirectly.
He also said many SMEs have grown out of the coffee industry and the government will continue to support this sector.
