PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 2:21 PM by Luigi

PNG coconut sector undergoing audit

By Baeau Tai, The National

THE country's coconut industry is undergoing major reassessment, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Mathew Siune said. The new board of the Kokonas Indastri Koporesen (KIK) and the management team are currently reviewing the status of the coconut industry, with focus on funds and how the sector is being managed, Mr Siune added. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu will do the audit of the KIK operations to determine if funds were properly used and ethics were maintained. Mr Siune said the audit report is expected to be given to the management next month. Mr Siune was reacting to warnings from Opposition Leader Peter O'Neil "that the ailing coconut industry will die unless the Government steps in and overhauls its management".

"The Somare Government will ensure that KIK develops the industry based on the production of diversified coconut products by its stakeholders to improve their income and increase export of coconut products," Mr Siune said. He said so far KIK has instituted the following:

Commenced funding certain coconut research and development activities of the Cocoa And Coconut Industry PNG due to a shortfall in budget support in 2005.
KIK has allocated half a million kina to develop coconut seed planting materials and carry out downstream processing activities for smallholders this year.
Has established better linkages with CCIPNG, the prime implementing agency for the coconut industry to manage all its R&D operations for the transfer of appropriate coconut technologies to smallholders.
Assessed performance of exporters and buyers. The assessment records have shown that there is an increase in copra production.
Is currently developing the National Coconut Development Programme with two coconut development seminars being held so far.

Mr Siune said KIK has also made a commitment of K100,000 to resurrect the Hisiu project, while the Central provincial administration has injected counterpart funding of K100,000 so that the project could be developed into a resource centre that will address issues relating to cocoa coconut and other crops. He said to realise the huge potential of the coconut industry, KIK and CCIPNG will work with other key government agencies like Department of Agriculture and Livestocks, Trade and Industry and Investment Promotion Authority to develop strategies for production of various high value coconut products for domestic and overseas markets.

"For KIK annual reports to be tabled in Parliament, financial accounts for KIK have to be audited before they can be included in the reports." The Auditor General's Office has only been able to audit the financial reports up to 2001. "The KIK Management is negotiating with the Auditor General's Office to have the KIK financial accounts audited up to 2004 by the end of 2005.A major annual report will be prepared for KIK for presentation in 2006 once the financial audits are completed," Mr Siune said.



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DIVA-GIS	Tuesday, May 24, 2005 Posted 2:21 PM by Luigi PNG coconut sector undergoing audit By Baeau Tai, The National THE country's coconut industry is undergoing major reassessment, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Mathew Siune said. The new board of the Kokonas Indastri Koporesen (KIK) and the management team are currently reviewing the status of the coconut industry, with focus on funds and how the sector is being managed, Mr Siune added. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu will do the audit of the KIK operations to determine if funds were properly used and ethics were maintained. Mr Siune said the audit report is expected to be given to the management next month. Mr Siune was reacting to warnings from Opposition Leader Peter O'Neil "that the ailing coconut industry will die unless the Government steps in and overhauls its management". "The Somare Government will ensure that KIK develops the industry based on the production of diversified coconut products by its stakeholders to improve their income and increase export of coconut products," Mr Siune said. He said so far KIK has instituted the following: Commenced funding certain coconut research and development activities of the Cocoa And Coconut Industry PNG due to a shortfall in budget support in 2005. KIK has allocated half a million kina to develop coconut seed planting materials and carry out downstream processing activities for smallholders this year. Has established better linkages with CCIPNG, the prime implementing agency for the coconut industry to manage all its R&D operations for the transfer of appropriate coconut technologies to smallholders. Assessed performance of exporters and buyers. The assessment records have shown that there is an increase in copra production. Is currently developing the National Coconut Development Programme with two coconut development seminars being held so far. Mr Siune said KIK has also made a commitment of K100,000 to resurrect the Hisiu project, while the Central provincial administration has injected counterpart funding of K100,000 so that the project could be developed into a resource centre that will address issues relating to cocoa coconut and other crops. He said to realise the huge potential of the coconut industry, KIK and CCIPNG will work with other key government agencies like Department of Agriculture and Livestocks, Trade and Industry and Investment Promotion Authority to develop strategies for production of various high value coconut products for domestic and overseas markets. "For KIK annual reports to be tabled in Parliament, financial accounts for KIK have to be audited before they can be included in the reports." The Auditor General's Office has only been able to audit the financial reports up to 2001. "The KIK Management is negotiating with the Auditor General's Office to have the KIK financial accounts audited up to 2004 by the end of 2005.A major annual report will be prepared for KIK for presentation in 2006 once the financial audits are completed," Mr Siune said. * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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