PNG rice shows potential

PROMOTING locally-produced products enables food security and boosts local knowledge and skill to produce higher, better yields, a local rice farmer in Morobe says.
Landowner and rice farmer Mathew Poang made the comments after harvesting rice on his 15-hectare plot last week, which will be processed by Trukai Industries.
Poang teamed up with the rice company in a project yesterday.
He said the project was the first of its kind in the Nawaeb area.
“I am looking forward to expand the rice project from 15 to 100-plus hectares when we start planting again after this harvest,” he said.
“Currently, much of the land in Nawaeb is used for gardening of crops like banana, taro, sweet potatoes, sugar cane and vegetables.”
Poang aims to promote rice growing in his district as a cash crop and for local consumption, improving the community’s food security.
He said his rice farm covered 15ha, roughly 300m by 500m, and harvesting started last Saturday and continued into the week.
Poang said rain had disrupted work but he expected to complete harvesting his plot over the weekend.
According to Truakai Industries field officer Jona Tom, the rice planted was for their “Hamamas” brand.
The rice production at Poahom is the third largest in Morobe.
Rice grown at Erap and Umi in Markham Valley produces about 687 tonnes annually for the Hamamas brand. “It takes about three months for the rice to mature and be ready for harvest,” Tom said.
“It does not fall off during wet season or when harvested.
“The grains are firmly attached to the stalk and have to be thrashed.
“About 18 full 50kg bags would produce one tonnes.”
Company agronomist Anton Beko said out of the 15ha, it was estimated that each hectare would produce four tons so he expected 60 tonnes of rice from this harvest.