Angoram farmers sell locally-produced rice

Business

By Shirley Mauludu
FARMERS in the Angoram district of East Sepik have proved that they can grow, package and sell locally-produced rice.
Angoram and Middle Sepik rice coordinator Wesley Piso said the initiative was to commercially benefit the local people and address food security issues.
He said it was founded on the Government’s initiative for food security as per Vision 2050.
East Sepik and Madang were selected as pilot provinces under the Papua New Guinea Jica (Japan International Corporation Agency) smallholder rice development project in 2003.
Piso said there was already a market for the product called Sepik Organic Rice.
“We have received order request from secondary schools around the province,” Piso said.
“In Port Moresby we have received request from Bomana Seminary other individuals.
“We also have request for import to New Zealand through a Papua New Guinea national working over there.
“We are expecting more after the launching.”
The formal launching will be on November 9.
Piso said he was selected for a month-long model farmer training in 2005 on basic rice cultivation with OISCA (Organisation for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement) in Rabaul funded by Jica.
“After the training, I came to realise that I was sent there for a purpose – to disseminate the knowledge, attitude and skills which I had received to smallholder farmers,” he said.