Centre nears completion

By MALUM NALU
THE multi-million kina Sirunki Innovative Agricultural Centre in Enga is expected to be completed in a few months, according to Israeli project manager Doron Zur.
Last Friday he showed Agriculture and Livestock Minister Tommy Tomscoll, Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas, Fresh Produce Development Agency (FDPA) chairman Fabian Chow, FPDA general manager Mark Worinu, DAL deputy secretary Steven Mombi, National Agriculture Research Institute deputy director general Dr Ramakrishna Akkinapally and officials around the project site.
The project is a joint venture between the Enga government and the Integrated Agro Industry of Israel.
Zur told The National that the project would collect from farmers potatoes, sweet potatoes (kaukau), carrots, cauliflower and cabbages which would be packaged and distributed to markets.
“It’s very good because today the farmers don’t have any market to sell it,” he said.
“We are going to spread it all over the country, as we are doing in our other farms such as Koroba (Hela), Nine-Mile in Port Moresby and Tari where we are growing chicken.
“This will be our vegetable centre where we will buy from people, pack it and distribute it.”
Zur said a large piece of land at Sirunki would also be turned into a farm to grow fruits and vegetables such as strawberries and onions.
Governor Sir Peter Ipatas said he was happy with the progress of work so far.