Villagers grow potatoes

VILLAGERS in a remote part of Central have received 20 bags of English potato seeds airlifted to them by helicopter to start potato farming.
Goilala MP William Samb sent the potato (called Elite-2) seeds to the Tanipai and Kosipe villages after discovering during his recent to Kosipe that it was a fertile area which could be used for agriculture to supply the local and international markets.
Local farmers built a demonstration site and planted 50 potato seeds.
Samb said bulb onion and strawberry were among crops to be cultivated there for commercial purposes.
He said although he did not have the funding to develop the transport system in the district he was sure he could the people become more involved in agriculture.
The seeds were developed in Laigam, Enga by the National Agriculture Research Institute to withstand frost and crop diseases.
He suggested that each family be given 10 seeds each to cultivate.
He said 30 bags of seeds would be distributed in Fane, Ononge, Sopu and Kambise villages.