High transport cost decried

 By SHIRLEY MAULUDU
THE high cost of transport is the biggest challenge faced by local fresh produce suppliers, a local vegetable trader said.
Whisky Fresh Ltd managing director Berry Maip said for more than 17 years of running his vegetable business, he had spent almost K120 million in transport costs alone.
“Since there’s no support from the government, I will continue to suffer the high cost of transporting my goods to the consumers like the rest of the vegetable traders.”
Maip, who operated as a fresh produce supplier from Mt Hagen, was seeking government’s assistance through transport subsidy to keep the interest among fresh food producers and suppliers.
He said he sent his supplies by road, sea and air.
“For sea freight, I would spend about K3.6 million a year and K2.5 million for airfreight.
“If the government could help in subsidising the cost of shipping our produce, then part of that money could be used in other activities.
Maip said fresh food such as tomato, capsicum, broccoli, cauliflower and produce were being airlifted to Port Moresby.
Potatoes, kaukau, cabbage and carrots were transported to Lae from Mt Hagen and then were shipped to Port Moresby, he said.
Maip said it would take a day to transport the goods to Lae and another day to load them into the containers.
He said three to five days would be needed for the shipment to reach Port Moresby.
When the fresh produce was damaged while in transit, it would cost them some more since the buyer-consumers would refuse to buy the damaged items, Maip said.
The cost of the damaged items would be charged to loss, he said.
Although Maip has his own fresh produce farm, he would also deal with farmers from Mt Hagen, Jiwaka, and Chimbu who sold their harvests to him.
Maip said he was buying from about 250 farmers-suppliers on a regular basis.