Farmer hopeful for good returns

Hoping for a good sale after every trip to the market is the number one desire of most commercial farmers, a farmer revealed.
Anna Peter of Seba village in Rigo is a commercial farmer at one of Port Moresby’s main markets, the Manu market.
Peter, as a farmer who brought fresh produce to the markets in the city was always hopeful that all her produce were sold out
According to Peter, there were some issues which had been affecting her sales. These were, customer demand, accommodation issues, market spaces.
Most of the commercial farmers vend off most of their fresh produce on reduced prices due to low customer demand.
“I have been a commercial farmer for over 5 years.
“There were a lot of challenges that we faced apart from road conditions and transportation.
“Most of the food that we sold at the markets were sold out after some days and at bargained prices.
“I am unemployed and my livelihood depended entirely on the sale of fresh produce, when I don’t earn enough, I just bought food rations and travel back home,” she said.
Peter is single and her expenses may not be the same as that of a married couple and their children.
Accommodation away from home and in the city is also an issue which drains most farmers’ revenue.
“We travel a long way to bring our food crops to the city, we either live with our relatives or sometimes at the houses near the markets where we paid them to accommodate us and our market produce.”
When transportation delayed their trips to the markets, their food crops were damaged and sometimes they arrived at times were there were not enough spaces.
Peter farmed mostly pineapples and other crops such as corns, taro, tomatoes and aibikas.