Seed farming grows

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Potato seed farming, where selected farmers supply disease-free seeds to other farmers, is becoming a lucrative business in the Highlands.
Manuel Bulung, a Fresh Produce Development Agency-certified seed farmer from Panga in Western Highlands, told The National on Tuesday that he was making good money out of supplying seeds to other farmers as well as selling his own potatoes on a commercial basis.
His wife, Josephine, concurred that potato was their livelihood.
“Potato is a very good business,” Bulung said.
“Potato farming helps many of us living in the villages.
“It is good for both Western Highlands and Papua New Guinea.”
Apart from selling seeds to farmers, Bulung also supplies potatoes to hotels and shops in Mt Hagen, as well as for sale in markets.
Bulung sells seed potatoes at K160 for a 35kg bag to farmers and up to K600 for a 92kg bag on a commercial basis.
“We were trained by FPDA in growing potatoes and business has so far been very good.”