Businessman provides market for rice farmers

By LOTTIE WAYAGURE
A local East Sepik businessman has provided a market for rice farmers in Wewak.
Alois Mateos, managing-director of Gala Enterprises in Wewak, is better known as one of the most-established tour operators in East Sepik.
He is now venturing into agriculture.
“I want to help local farmers to be able to earn something from what they produce,” Mateos said.
“We are currently selling the rice in 1kg packets for K6.50 and one bail for K130.”
Mateos said he bought a small space for K30,000 with his own money so they could use it to buy and sell rice.
“I want farmers to be independent and own their resources so that our money can be circulated amongst ourselves,” he said
Mateos said the rice tasted good “and people really like it because it swells up when it’s cooked.”
“Locals bring their rice to sell but I haven’t engaged a village in a contract yet,” he said.
Mateos said they had not received help from anyone except Tourism Promotion Authority.
He said they would like more people to help in promoting local- grown rice. Moses Alphonse, a local rice farmer who previously grew rice only for consumption, is glad there is a market for rice now so he can be able to sell his surplus and get money to meet his family’s needs.
“What (Alois) Mateos has done will encourage rice farming,” he said.
Angoram and Wewak are the leading rice-growing districts of East Sepik.