Small holder coffee farmers in Yaria area of Imbonggu district have called for extension services and training assistance from the Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) to increase their production output.
Their spokesman, Steven Apa said many small coffee growers in Southern Highlands Province were keen to learn best coffee growing and production practises, but no one was producing such services.
Apa cited example of many villagers are not using proper tools to prune coffee tree, but using bush knives and even axe to remove unwanted branches thereby destroying the coffee trees.
As well, he said people were using unconventional methods such and using their stone, timber and other implements to pulp cherry beans to produce parchment.
Apa said this has resulted in the poor quality beans with cracks and broken coffee beans.
Another farmer, Mathew Yanda who previously worked as an extension officer with the CIC said unlike farmers other highlands and coffee producing provinces, those in Southern Highlands were not familiar with the basics of good coffee production.
Yanda said although Southern Highlands does not produce much coffee, there are small holder village farmers who need help of CIC in extension, awareness and training so they too can involve in coffee growing.
He said instead of concentrating too much on big producers, the CIC should start sending extension officers to visit them and find ways to help them.