From Chimbu to ENB

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More than 300 bags of bulb onions from Chimbu were delivered to the Kokopo market yesterday.
This follows the memorandum of agreement signed between the East New Britain (ENB) market authority, the Fresh Produce Development Agency and the provincial administration three months ago.
ENB market authority manager Herman Valvalu said this was one way to cut down on imports from overseas, and also promote the farming of onions and other crops not grown in the province and among the local ENB farmers.
He said the market management and board is here to provide value of market products by farmers, as well as provide information for any policy level deliberations.
Valvalu said the markets continued to promote the province’s vision of growing the economy as they dealt with people down the line.
FPDA officer in charge, Elizabeth Melchior, said there was an import ban on a number of crops, such as bulb onions, as the country was already producing 80 per cent of the demand for the crop in the country.
She said by assisting local farmers to produce the crop and through such exchanges between provinces the tripartite partners under the memorandum of agreement were keen to keep the momentum going for this programme.
Among the developments so far was the formation of the business arm of the East New Britain market authority that would oversee the commercial side of the market and the introduction of English potato seedlings for farmers in the province, to be trialed in Inland Pomio.