PAPUA New Guinea spends over K1 billion annually on fruits and vegetables that can be grown in the country, says Agriculture and Livestock Minister John Simon.
He revealed this startling figure when launching the Kundiawa-Gembogl Agriculture Cold Supply Chain and SME Booster project, spearheaded by local MP and Police Minister William Onglo and Fresh Produce Development Agency (FPDA) supported by Prime Minister James Marape, in Goglme in Gembogl, Chimbu on Tuesday June 15.
This will involve establishment of cold storage facilities in Kundiawa-Gembogl, Lae and Port Moresby to buy and store fresh produce.
FPDA has generously given its Kainantu depot to Kundiawa-Gembogl to use.
The Kundiawa-Gembogl District Development Authority (DDA) bought two excavators to build roads, two tractors, three trucks, 10 motorcycles, four refrigerated containers, three sawmills, three vehicles and three generators to set the project in motion.
The 64 SME cooperatives in the district received K10,000 each as start-up capital.
Present for the occasion were Chimbu Governor Michael Dua, Health Minister Jelta Wong, FPDA General-Manager Mark Worinu, CPL Group of Companies Management Consultant Ajay Patel, and others.
“The country spends over K1 billion to import potatoes, onions and vegetables,” Minister Simon told hundreds of people.
“We can save this money.
“Kundiawa-Gembogl could be our answer.”
Minister Simon said what was needed was government intervention by way of setting up facilities, as well as providing seeds for farmers, so that factory door prices could be brought to farm gate.
There is also a need to encourage more people to get into farming in Kundiawa-Gembogl, according to Minister Simon, there are only 5,000 active farmers there out of a population of about 100,000.
“The story of Kundiawa-Gembogl is not a story for Kundiawa-Gembogl alone,” he said.
“This story is a story for Papua New Guinea…what you (Kundiawa-Gembogl) are doing is for Papua New Guinea.”
Minister Simon said all MPs, including those in the Highlands, received the same district funds but had not used it like the Kundiawa-Gembogl MP.
He described Minister Onglo as a “saviour” for his people for setting up the project and involving 64 cooperatives in his district.
“Cooperatives are the way to go because they will buy the product of their farmers, put it in cold storage facilities and transport it down to Lae,” Minister Simon said.
“We (Marape Government) will support you, through the FPDA, so that the cold storage supply chain will not be broken.
“You set up a facility here, when you go down to Lae there must be a facility.”
Minister Simon said Kundiawa-Gembogl was leading the way for PNG and the Marape Government would support it all the way, including securing storage space in Lae and Port Moresby, to store fresh produce.
“When the ship comes (to Lae), it will take the fresh produce to Port Moresby, where a storage facility is available,” he told the people.
“Your MP is a silent achiever.
“While other districts in the Highlands are talking about such projects, you have an MP who is already making it happen.”
Minister Simon commended the CPL Group of Companies, represented at the event by Management Consultant Ajay Patel, for buying the fresh produce of Kundiawa-Gembogl and PNG.
“One supermarket in Port Moresby that sells the fresh fruit and vegetables of PNG is the CPL Group of Companies,” he said.
“It is one of few companies that is doing this, it is one of few companies promoting PNG.
“We will continue to support you and we will work with you.”
Minister Simon said there was an urgent need for more people to be involved in farming to bring down PNG’s fresh produce import bill.
“We will pump in money to buy more seeds,” he said.
“FPDA will provide you more potato and bulb onion seeds.
“We can cut down imports; however, the concern is that we will not be able to meet the demand.
“We have to meet the demand, with a consistency in supply.
“The Government has plans to help you, however, we have to have a consistent and quality supply.”