K40million for agro devt lauded

By FRANK ASAELI
THE Government’s K40 million allocation for the national agriculture development plan (NADP) under the new supplementary budget has been well-received by honey bee farmers in the Highlands.
Praising the Government, Highlands Farmers and Settlers Association (HFSA) Inc vice-president Jonah Buka said his group over the years had been promoting agricultural development.
Mr Buka said at the moment they were more focused on the production of export honey.
He said the Government should seriously develop the bee honey industry and support the co-operative movement as means of using communal land and labour to increase production of export agricultural commodities.
Mr Buka said honey was a goldmine in itself with its export prices being higher than any other agriculture commodities.
“It is one goldmine especially when the domestic price of raw honey was K7 per kilo, which was higher than any commodity produced by small farmers,” he said.