Minister focuses on vegetable farming

By ZACHERY PER
GOROKA, Eastern Highlands, has a good climate and soil for vegetable farming, Agriculture Minister Aiye Tambua says.
“Goroka has the perfect climate for any plant species to grow but I am focusing on fruits and vegetable farming as Minister for Agriculture,” he said.
Tambua said fresh vegetables and fruit from Goroka and the province needed to be flown out regularly to Port Moresby and other domestic markets.
“Farmers in Goroka and PNG produce high quality fresh garden produce with the potential to earn overseas dollars if exported,” he said.
“Farmers will be motivated if produce from their hard work gains Aussie or American dollars.”
Tambua made this known in Goroka recently during the swearing-in ceremony for the Goroka development authority. He said the Department of Agriculture and Livestock had begun negotiations with potential overseas importers of fruits and vegetables from PNG.
“As the Minister for Agriculture, I am confident in securing markets for our local farmers, our locally grown fruits and vegetables will be exported to countries like Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, China and United Arab Emirates,” he said.
He told the people in his district that they were blessed with fertile soil ideal for growing fruits and vegetables.
Tambua committed to setting up a fruit and vegetable depot and processing plant at Ifiufa village near the Highlands Highway for Goroka farmers to sell and process their produce for overseas markets.