Leaders look at airlifting agricultural produce

THE biggest mistake successive governments have made since independence is not bringing large cargo planes to assist rural farmers with their produce, according to Agriculture and Livestock Department secretary Daniel Kombuk.
Kombuk made the statement in reference to Aviation in Agriculture, an area that Prime Minister James Marape is determined to pursue in agriculture.
“The idea is not ambitious,” he said.
“Currently, only vanilla is air-freighted but this can include other high-value crops for specialty of differential markets overseas.
“We need to bring this market closer to our farmers.”
Kombuk further noted that the agriculture park was a one-stop agriculture centre for production, processing and buying and selling of agriculture produce.
“This is also bringing markets closer to farmers,” he said.
He was speaking yesterday during the commodity board retreat in Port Moresby.
The two-day event is being hosted by the prime minister, who is also the caretaker minister for agriculture and livestock, to allow all the heads of agriculture and livestock commodity boards to discuss and do presentations on past performance of each board and provide an update on their current status.