By Charmaine Poriambep,
The low prices and high cost associated with commodities farming and several other agricultural produce have forced many Papua New Guineans away from tilling the land.
In recognizing that, the Government through the Department of Agriculture and Livestock has stepped into introduced the Price Support and Agriculture Intervention Program.
The program hopes to put money directly into farmers’ pockets. A total of K50 Million was allocated for this program.
The break up is has follows;
| Coffee Industry | K10 Million |
| Cocoa Industry | K10 Million |
| Copra | K4 Million |
| Rubber | K2 Million |
| Oil Palm Industry | K2 Million |
| Spice Industry | K1 Million |
| Livestock Development | K6 Million |
| Fresh Produce Industry | K3 Million |
| Rice Industry | K5 Million |
| Others | K5 Million |
In its pilot period, the Price Support Program has received many praise from farmers throughout the country.
For Provinces like Eastern Highlands, it created a business to give a fare price to coffee growers in the Province, challenging the middle man.
South Bougainville just launched its Agriculture Company for this purpose too.
Lifting the price of Cocoa bags…buying a dry bean bag for K500.
The PNG Cocoa Board has also increased the export of Levi to K100, with intentions to support extension work in the country.
With such incentives and many more from Districts to Provincial and National Government level, the Agriculture Minister is calling on Papua New Guineans to farm the land.
The Minister stressed that many have been lured to the city and towns in search of opportunities but the real money making opportunity is back in the village.
Also available is the Freight subsidy.
Commodity farmers can also seek freight subsidy assistance from Commodity Boards.
This support is purposely to help rural farmers transport their commodities to town.
The idea for all the incentives is to help the farmers take home more from their hard work.
