Delay affecting supplies

By CLARISSA MOI
DELAY in shipment is affecting the supply of stockfeed in Port Moresby as the feeds are produced in Lae and shipped to the nation’s capital, agriculture retail company Farmset says.
Farmset’s southern region manager Kevin Zimmerman said that in response to concerns raised by local poultry farmers over the shortage of supply.
“Sometimes there can be shortages of stockfeed due to a number of reasons, however, the major one is shipping as the majority of feed is produced in Lae and shipped to Port Moresby,” Zimmerman said.
“The usual turnaround (shipment) is about one week.”
According to poultry farmers, who gathered outside Farmset and Chemica Ltd in Port Moresby yesterday, the shortage of supplies affected many since most of the stockfeeds were supplied to a poultry farm at 14-Mile outside Port Moresby.
Zimmerman, however, said Farmset did not supply stockfeed to that poultry farm.
He noted that Farmset built its own stockfeed factory in Lae that produced quality feed for poultry and pigs among others.
Zimmerman said the issue with the supply of day-old chicks, experienced earlier this year, had been rectified.
Meanwhile, the Farmer’s and Settlers Association issued an alert several weeks ago that there were reported shortages of poultry stockfeed.
President Wilson Thompson said it affected farmers in East New Britain, Eastern Highlands and the Highlands.
“The shortage is related to a supply problem,” he said.
“We have three major suppliers: Goodman Fielder International (GFI), Trukai, New Guinea Tablebirds (NGBT) and Farmset Ltd is a smaller operation for its own stores.
“(However) in the last 12 months, Trukai and NGTB stopped production leaving GFI supplying the whole country.
“That placed strain on the GFI factory as it took on the load of Trukai and NGTB.
“However, we have the NGTB getting back its production of feed stock which would alleviate the shortage.
“The recent shortage around the country is related to transport issues as the demand is placed on existing stock.
“For NCD, Gulf and Central, Chemica Ltd has three containers already at the wharf and all should have feed by today.
“And further containers are on the way from Lae and there is no need to panic.”
Chemica could not be reached for comment yesterday.