CEMA SHOULD PROTECT LOCAL COPRA PRICES: PIO

SIBC North Malaita stringer John Andrew Kiri. Photo credit: SIBC.

Former board member of Commodities and Exporting and Marketing Authority (CEMA) Pio Akwasitalo has called on the CEMA authority and the national government to use the reserve budget to protect local price for copra.

SIBC’s stringer for North Malaita John Andrew Kiri quoted Mr Akwasitalo as saying the weak global price for the commodity badly affect rural farmers.

Mr Akwasitalo suggested, proper use of the reserve fund can stabilise copra prices for local farmers around the country.

“Mr Akwasitaloa said during his 15 years as a CEMA Board Member, they had a reserve fund set aside purposely to stabilise copra prices even when prices at the world market dropped.”