Kaukau a vital crop

SWEET potato (kaukau) is an important staple and also an important marketed crop in Papua New Guinea, according to Fresh Produce Development Agency’s 2016 annual report.
The report, released last month, said despite this, sweet potato was never a focused crop of FPDA compared to crops such as potato and onion.
“FPDA recognised the crop’s importance, and has decided to make it one of its focused crops during its corporate phase two, 2016 to 2020 and beyond,” the report said.
“Like all other focused crops, it wants to improve the value chain for the domestic market and hence will become the springboard for export markets.
“The first and biggest is the urban market, and the second is the formal markets, which include the retail and supermarkets, hotels, and mining and petroleum camps.”
The report said the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) supported the idea of the value chains of the crop, through the Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR).
“It brings in a number of partnerships with Central Queensland University (CQU), Australian National University (ANU), National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI), Queensland Department of Primary Industry (QDPI) nd Fresh Produce Development Agency (FPDA),” it said.
“The target activity will centre on the production of clean planting materials of common market varieties in the Western Highlands, Jiwaka and Eastern Highlands for the target fresh markets in Port Moresby.
“The project is incubated and managed under the research and technology development programme of FPDA at the initial stage of establishment,” the report stated.
Sweet potato grows well in the highlands of PNG due to their cool climate. It also thrives well in other parts of the country.