The Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) will be re-strategising how it will manage the Coffee Berry Borer pest while at the same ensure premium coffee production is maintained.
CIC Chief Executive Office, Charlie Dambui, told Loop PNG the incursion of the pest put the CIC’s plans on the backfoot and which now required a new plan to
The incursion of the pest to throw plans of the Coffee Industry Corporation on the backfoot, as they now have to re-strategise on how to manage it.
This comes after the CIC introduced the ‘Tree to Cup’ program which aims to link small farmers to the markets by improving and maintaining the volume, consistency and quality of coffee.
“Now we have to introduce management strategies to our farmers, how to live with the pest but at the same time tap into the market that we have already opened up for them. So it’s a big challenge,” Dambui said.
“From my experiences with the ‘Cocoa Pod Borer’ we realized that farmers have to embrace the idea of managing the coffee gardens themselves to minimize the impacts.”
Dambui added that farmers had to change their attitudes and mindsets in coffee production and the change had to be driven by the CIC.
He said the CIC will carrying out awareness to small farmers.
Meanwhile, six provinces form the highlands region have quarantined to contain the spread of the CBB pest to other provinces.
The Provinces include the six provinces include Jiwaka, Chimbu, Enga, Eastern, Southern, and Western Highlands.
A delimiting study will be carried out by a joint inspection and monitoring team comprising of the CIC, The National Quarantine and Inspection Authority (NAQIA), and the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL).
The delimiting study will be carried out over the next two weeks and will determine the extent of the CBB pest spread and indicate the likely measures to address it.
It will also indicate how the pest may have entered the country. This will be done by carrying out a DNA test.
A submissions will be made to the government for a funding of K50 million to carry out the study and for the inspection and monitoring exercise.
Picture: CIC Chief Executive Officer Charlie Dambui expounds on the plans to fight the Coffee Cherry Borer pest.