Call to improve subsidy

By PETER ESILA
THE freight subsidy scheme needs to be coordinated well with not just only one transport company and ensuring food does not go to waste, according to the Fresh Produce Development Agency (FPDA).
The Department of National Planning and Monitoring signed a K3 million agreement in April with shipping company Bismark Maritime for the shipment of fresh produce from Lae to Port Moresby.
FPDA research and extension officer Joe Koima told The National on the sidelines of a Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) workshop in Port Moresby last week that there had been mixed results.
“What happened was that they gave it to one shipping company, Bismark, so Consort who has been a traditional shipper of fresh produce missed out .
“It should be coordinated well and spread out across all transport providers, then we will have better results,” he said.
“The other part of it was that it was a total free subsidy, so the farmer didn’t have any counter funding on that.
“There was a lot of produce shipped down to Port Moresby and there was not much management of quality.
“The downside of it was that when the produce ended up in Port Moresby, most of it went bad.
“When we try to improve the supply of food to Port Moresby, we bring a lot of rubbish in.
“There was a lot damage and the food problem in Port Moresby still remains and that needs to be coordinated.”
According to department first assistant secretary (macro planning division) Maria-Louise Wau, Minister Sam Basil will make some announcement soon.