Asparagus farmer reaches out

AGRICULTURE

By TONY PALME
AN asparagus specialist based in Goroka, Eastern Highlands is seeking the help of line agencies and relevant government authorities to establish an industry in the country.
Heriso Gahekave, who headlines asparagus research and farming at the University of Goroka says the province has huge potential to export asparagus to international markets.
He would really want to see asparagus taken as another alternative economic and healthcare produce with its own industry.
“Asparagus, a highly nutritious crop with countless health benefits can become an economically exportable commodity for Papua New Guinea.
“This high-value crop is suited to the bioclimatic conditions of Eastern Highlands. It is finding a niche here because it is spring season all year round in Goroka and the Highlands region,” Gahekave revealed.
He has uncovered a germination protocol, equated to 100 per cent, that is significantly better than that achieved elsewhere in the world.
He believes in ‘integrated farming’ and in utilising all available land to sustain rural livelihoods.
Integrated means, asparagus can be grown together with other crops especially coffee during its rehabilitation stage as well as other short-seasoned horticultural crops.
Honey bee production can take place just alongside the asparagus production and coffee sites to aid pollination for coffee, honey source for nectar and pollen and seed pollination in asparagus.
Under Gahekave’s leadership, UOG has been growing asparagus for five years now.
Although PNG imports most of her asparagus, Gahekave hopes UOG can turn that around.
China is the major asparagus exporting country in the world, followed by other lucrative exporters like Mexico, Peru, Thailand, United Sates, Spain and the Netherlands.
“In countries like Australia and New Zealand, asparagus only grows seasonally and when they run out of internal supplies, they import from overseas.
“Such needs markets can provide an opportunity for PNG’s asparagus to hit their shelves if we can produce at the volume and quality they want.
“At the moment, we’re still importing asparagus but there is possibility that we can create an industry out of it.

“We only need government support to take it to another level. We are also not feeding our domestic markets, which is very important. Our local chain suppliers are importing to feed the local demand,” Gahekave explained.
The research and innovation specialist in asparagus planting and husbandry feels that most of our people in the remote communities have a lot of arable land to make asparagus farming a real big business to generate revenues to sustain their livelihoods.
The reason is that post-harvest handling and less weight packaging will assist with handling and transportation efficiency at a manageable level.
“I took an interest in asparagus way back in 2001 as soon as I completed my post-graduate Diploma in Tropical Agriculture at the Highlands Agriculture Training Institute (Hati) in Mt Hagen.
“In 2003, I attained a Diploma in Agriculture Education at the UOG and again continued with a Bachelor in Agriculture Extension (2009-2010).
“My aspiration is to see an asparagus industry created in this country. It is a high quality crop which is on high demand because of its nutritional and medicinal value, plus its economic viability with its readily available market.
“I need key government agencies to collaborate with UOG so that we harness the potential this crop has.
“It can change the lives of the farming communities as an alternative economical crop and will help to generate revenues for the country,” Gahekave remarked.
So far Gahekave has trained more than 50 farmers from Goroka, Daulo, Henganofi and Lufa to become out-growers or farmer links. He has established model farms for the out-growers at Gamuga and Notofana villages.
The objective of the lead farmers is to ensure viability and productivity of asparagus within the different ecological zones.
It is anticipated that through this approach, farmers’ ability to achieve better production output to meet the market demand can materialise.
Link to RH Hypermart

On a positive note, based on research and sampling, the RH Hypermart in Port Moresby has created a bar code for the UOG product (asparagus) in 2021.
“There is potential for large scale production of asparagus by farmers in the country, for instance, RH Hypermart requires 25kg per week and 100kg in a month.
“This is an opportunity that we must tap into to meet certain a quota of their demand.
“Currently, these domestic suppliers are importing from overseas. Reason being that we are not supplying the quality and quantity with consistency.
“The Government through its relevant agencies must support farmers to engage in large scale production.
“Currently we have spice industry, which asparagus is also a part of, however, it has been overlooked or neglected.
“Asparagus is a chemist of its own because it contains about 19 health benefit properties in terms of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.”
Gahekave is seeking the assistance of the Fresh Produce Development Agency (FPDA), Oxfam International, and the Agriculture Ministry to further the cause and reduce poverty and malnutrition, and other cross-cutting issues.
Those whop wish to purchase seedlings or get more information can contact Gahekave on 7367 8343