Rice firm gives equipment to farmers

 TRUKAI Industries donated small-scale farming equipment to farmers in the Kairuku-Hiri district last Friday.

The farmers are to start Trukai’s Central province rice-growing project in partnership with the Kairuku-Hirilocal level government.

Trukai chief executive officer, Greg Worthington-Eyre said the project was about the people and they would try to involve as many as they could.

“This is your land and your rice, if you don’t use it we (Trukai) will buy it off you,” he said.

Equipment included heavy duty string-trimmers (whipper-snippers), weed-killer agents, spray packs and protective gear.

Worthington-Eyre said the equipment would get the farmers started on clearing the area of operations.

The first five hectares for trial will be in Vanapa just outside of Port Moresby. Four hectares will be used for growing and testing different varieties of rice.

One will be used for weed mitigation.

Kairuku district administrator Nick Gorua said the district had a successful rice production in the area in the 80s.

“Our people must become organised to be empowered and benefit from such a project,” he said.

Emmanuel Ume, who initiated the project, said the concept Trukai brought in was the best for the people.

In regard to the big rice project granted to Indonesian company Naima Agri-industries that the government approved last year, he said locals rejected it because they did not see any benefit for them.

The project will extend to Brown River, Vekabu and Gabadi, along the Hiritano Highway.