Coffee farmers struggle to sell coffee
Coffee farmers of the remote Nivi Village in the Unggai Bena District of Eastern Highlands Province continue to struggle to sell Coffee.
Nanikanu Coffee Co-operative Society Limited Chairman Robert Solala made thse remarks during the presentation of their certificate recently.
Mr. Solala said it takes them several kilometres to walk on deteriorating road conditions from Nivi Village down the road with tonnes of coffee all borne on the broad shoulders of men,women and children.
However, because their lives and that of their children depend on it,the weather beaten deteriorating road conditions has been their lifeline of hope for as long as coffee found its way to the market and they have no choice but to undertake the long difficult and tiring tasks of walking.
"It takes us four hours from 6am to 10 am to carry 30 to 40 kg bags of parchment coffee to the Junction where we catch a PMV to Goroka to sell.
"The hardship we face with coffee is the deteriorating road conditions coupled with remoteness of the area which makes it difficult to sell our coffee,"he said
"Men and women in these remote areas are referred too as "white horse" for carrying heavy loads and walk on deteriorating road conditions to the nearest buying spot or further to Goroka town" he said.
On Ausgust of 2024, Mr Solala has mobilised coffee farmers from the Nivi Community to form the Nenikanu Coffee Cooperative Society Limited to help coffee farmers access markets.
Recently the Nenikanu Coffee Co-operative society Limited was privileged to be given their certificate by the Registrar of Cooperative Societies in PNG Wale Molumi and the CIC PACD Manager Potaisa Hombunaka
The Nivi community is made up of six ward council and is very far from any government services and moving coffee to the market is not easy.
Nivi community is tucked away at the border of Lufa District in EHP and Chuave District in Simbu province.
As the The country prepares to celebrate 50 years independence anniversary, the people of Nivi can only hope and wait for their leader to deliver them from the dilemma.