The general manager of a major coffee producer in Solomon Islands says the industry is expanding rapidly.
Varivao Holdings' Dudley Longamei says he has about 200 farmers supplying him with beans and his company runs along the lines of a co-operative, in that it is owned by its members.
He says assistance from the Increasing Agricultural Trade project has helped him improve the quality of his product but, more importantly, enabled him to provide more farmers with access to the market.
Mr Longamei says farmers from all over the country are showing great interest in the crop and asking for seedlings.
"And we're now supplying them freely the seedlings so hopefully in two years' time we will be having a great supply from the farmers because maybe more than 20,000 seedlings have already been given out to the farmers. So there is a great interest from all islands."
Dudley Longamei says Varivau Holdings exports a small amount of coffee.
