Rubber growers need govt’s help

A rubber grower and seller in Kawito, Western Province, has asked for Government subsidy into the market so they can sell at market prices.

Liston Ewabo, 35, from Kewa, Balimo District, said their remoteness and distance from main markets forces them to sell their goods at below market prices to buyers with transportation and logistical access.

He said currently, they sell well below half the market price in other parts of the province.

Ewabo married into a family in Kawito who look after more than 600 rubber trees, beginning their venture 15 years ago.

He recently took it on as a full time job and has seen first hand the positives but also the negatives.

Ewabo believes they are short selling their goods because they themselves aren’t able to transport their goods to sell in Kiunga, which by boat can take a few days through the Aramia River, and then up the Fly River.

“Lo Kuku em K1.20 per kilo. Lo blek maket em sampla taim mipla save salim K1 or 80 toea per kilo,” he said. (At Kuku it’s K1.20/kilo. Sometimes we sell at K1 or 80toea/kilo on the black market.)

“Transportation em Kuku save kam lo Kiunga, so taim em kam mipla save salim lo ol,” he said.

Ewabo says looking after the product requires persistence and commitment.

However, the current buying price does not reflect the effort that is put in.

He has called for the Government to intervene.

“Last taim ol North Fly mi harim osem ol salim raba lo K3 na K4 pe kilo. But lo Middle Fly K1.20 lo hia.

“It would be better if the government puts some money in North Fly Rubber to help subsidise the price,” Ewabo said.

While waiting if and when this intervention is made, he says he will continue as this is his only source of income in this part of the province, which is only accessible through its airstrip and the Aramia River.

Author: 
Cedric Patjole