Agreement announced to support rural farmers

A NEW partnership agreement was announced on Friday to support rural farmers during the Covid-19 crisis.
A small ceremony to mark the occasion was held between Market Development Facility, an Australian supported initiative, and Outspan PNG Ltd in Lae, Morobe.

Representatives from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Outspan and MDF were present to witness the event.
MDF business adviser Taidas Manzang told The National that the signing was to get rural farmers into markets where MDF was partnering with businesses and entrepreneurs such as agri-businesses like Outspan to come up with arrangements where the incentives acquired through sales of cash crops was transferred back to local farmers.
“What is the use of working when you don’t get any benefits from it, so we link these people into the markets,” he said.
“In terms of trying to get export licences for individual farmers and groups, it becomes expensive that is why we need to partner with people who have export experience.
“But the important thing is that the incentives these companies get through premium price arrangement it is transferred back to the farmers and people will keep on producing because they know there will be benefits from having to work (by) selling their coffee and cocoa for export.”
Manzang said Outspan’s arrangement with the farmers was for cocoa supply.