District earns K15,000 for suppling bulb onions

By DALE LUMA
PAPUA New Guinea has the capability to produce its own vegetables rather than importing from overseas, Kundiawa-Gembogl MP William Onglo says.
Onglo said the country spent close to K2 billion annually on imports and being able to supply the demand in vegetables domestically would reduce that expenditure.
He was speaking yesterday while delivering 184 bags of bulb onions from his district in Chimbu to City Pharmacy Ltd (CPL) who bought the consignment for K15,000.
The supply is the first of a pilot project to empower the people of the district through agriculture.
“We started this programme 18 months ago with fresh produce with some corporative up in the village,” Onglo said.
“This is to try and encourage our people back to the land and I believe we can get there.
“I believe that we can grow almost 90 per cent of our vegetables in this country and we don’t need to import anything.”
Onglo said the district was faced with logistics and market issues and thanked CPL for coming on board as one of the first major buyers.
“This is one of the first and will be looking at making fortnightly supplies from the Highlands not only for onions but also potatoes,” he said.
“We are getting concessions from Air Niugini to bring in fresh vegetables. At least we can bring everything here and I don’t think we need to import anything.”
Onglo said the country spent close to K2 billion annually on imports and producing things locally was more practical and would help the national economy.