Leader of Opposition Hon. Matthew Wale has called on the Commodities Export Marketing Authority, CEMA, to immediately withdraw the newly introduced coconut and coconut product management fees under the Coconut and Coconut Product Management Fees Regulations 2026, gazetted on 17 March 2026.
Hon. Wale said the new fee of $3,051 per tonne of copra is nothing short of a direct assault on coconut farmers and rural livelihoods.
“At the current copra price of $6.00 per kilogram, this fee takes $3.05 per kilogram, or 50.85% of the market value. That leaves the farmer with only $2.95 per kilogram. This is not support for the coconut industry. It is a fatal blow to it.”
He said no sensible authority would impose a charge that effectively cuts farmer earnings in half and expect production to continue unaffected.
“This fee punishes the very people who carry the industry. It discourages production, hurts rural households, and threatens to push the coconut sector further into decline. At a time when people are struggling, CEMA has chosen to make things worse.”
Hon. Wale also questioned the basis on which these fees were imposed. “We understand that the new CEO, Collin Yow, was appointed by Cabinet without proper consultation with the CEMA Board. We also note the damage previously caused to the Solomon Islands Ports Authority by the same individual, which was the main reason for his removal from SIPA. It appears that the new fees are introduced mainly to fund his salary package. If so, then we absolutely condemn it.”
Hon. Wale said such a serious decision should never have been made without proper consultation with farmers, exporters, and stakeholders across the industry.
“You cannot claim to back agriculture and rural livelihoods while introducing charges that strip away half of a farmer’s income. That is indefensible.”
The Leader of Opposition called on CEMA to immediately suspend and cancel the fees.
“I stand with our coconut farmers. These fees must be withdrawn now. The government and CEMA must stop punishing producers and start protecting livelihoods.”
Ends///
[OPPOSITION PRESS]
