1 Nov 2006

PNG's coffee group accuses government of neglecting coffee industry

10:58 am on 1 November 2006

The Coffee Industry Corporation has called on the Papua New Guinea government to be more supportive of the country's lucrative coffee industry.

The CIC chairman Pugma Kopi and its chief executive Ricky Mitio say the industry hasn't received any government funds for research and extension since 1987.

At the opening of a new coffee factory, Mr Kopi said that there had been plenty of politics to the extent that he fears the CIC had just become a "rubber stamp".

Mr Mitio says coffee grown in Enga alone brought in 7-million US dollars annually. and he told The National newspaper with more government support, it would be possible to more than double that figure.