FRESH produce from East New Britain has reached Port Moresby to be sold to the retailers and customers in the nation’s capital.
Forty bags of fresh produce arrived on Saturday morning (May 15) at Gordons market and was sold in bulks to the market retailers and customers in the city.
This was made possible through the partnership between the East New Britain Market Authority and NCDC Markets Division.
NCDC Market Manager, Charlie Pengi said fresh produces are critical for the Commission to achieve healthy outcomes for the city.
“Fresh produces vitamins, minerals, fibre and other nutrients that are important for healthy diet. It helps to reduce the risks of cancer and other diseases. It is part of the Commission’s vision for a healthy city,” said Mr Pengi.
ENB Business Development Manager, Nano Keake was overwhelmed to see all the 40 bags of their fresh produce sold out in less than an hour.
“All forty bags sold out like this tells me that there is high demand of fresh produce here in the city,”said Keake.
He said that is an achievement for the ENB Market Authority through this partnership with NCDC Markets Division. ENB Market Authority is an initiative of ENB Provincial government with the main vision to create conducive environment and link into markets around the country.
Keake said with this formal arrangement and with the fact that the demand of fresh produce in the city is high, they will continue to supply more fresh produce for their province into the city.
“Our supplies will be consistent and will be bigger and better as we go along. We will make it easier where there will be control measures in place so that we help our local farmers sell their produce.
“As markets officers under the market run by our provincial authority, we have the responsibility to help our people find their market not only in our town but in other province like here in NCD and even overseas,” said Keake.
Keake has called on the government to chip in to assist with the transportation part of things from the garden to the markets.
“The fees for transportation are high that most of the farmers can’t afford and that’s one of the factors that stops them from reaching out the big markets,” said Keake.
He thanked the NCDC Markets for the partnership and is looking forward to working closely with the NCDC Markets officers to bring more fresh produce from ENB into the city for retailers and the city residents.
-Press Release-