Copra prices rise

By ALEX MUNME

Post Courier

SANKAMAP Exports, one of the only two locally owned copra exporting companies in the region, has to be praised for the current increase in copra price in Buka. 
The other company is Kieta commodity Exports based in Kieta.
This is because they export direct to international markets and their price is controlled by the world copra market.

Sankamap Exports is currently buying copra at an average price of K1165 per ton.
Managing Director of Sankamap Exports Robert Critchley said although the world market controlled copra price, meaning it may change daily but his company was here to maintain price stability, create an option for hardworking copra producers, set standards in copra quality so that Bougainville’s copra was in high demand in the world market.
Mr Critchley, whose mother is from Pororan and father from Melbourne, Australia, said his company’s long term plan was to help his people.

In fact he has dreamed of coming home one day to help his own people when he was 10 years old. For him, it’s a dream come true. His motto is to put Bougainville back on the world map. As part of his company’s plan, has trained three local people to start their own copra buying points in Haku, Hahalis and Tinputs. His company came into operation a few months ago and so far has exported about 800 tonnes of copra direct to the Philippines. 
His company has incentives for production of quality copra.