Authority aims to boost bulb onion farming

THE Fresh Produce Development Agency (FPDA) is looking forward to boosting the production of bulb onions to reduce the volume of imports, an official says.
FPDA Mt Hagen branch officer Enopa Lindsay opened the Kelua bulb onion model farm in Mt Hagen on Friday.
Gembolg in Chimbu is the only district supplying the local markets. Lindsay said Kelua villagers will be the second group to venture into bulb onion farming.
“This is the first project we are witnessing in Western Highlands and FPDA is hoping to see more people (producing) bulb onion,” Lindsay said.
“We can see in supermarkets that most of the bulb onions are imported.”
Lindsay said FPDA general manager Mark Worinu had been working hard to make sure people plant bulb onions to supply the market. He said bulb onion was promoted by the FPDA and would be new to some.
Former councillor Martin Makap thanked FPDA for choosing his community at Kelua.
Makap said the people owned fertile land for farming and the crop would change the lives of many.
“I thank the FPDA for choosing Kelua as the first area to introduce bulb onion in the province.”