Villagers venture into rice farming after hike in prices

MORE than 150 households in Wamangu village in Sausso local level government, Yangoru-Saussia, East Sepik, have moved to farming rice, says a spokesperson.
Gorden Swemo said about 156 household, accounting the entire village population has been producing and consuming their own rice since last year.
“Because of the high price of rice in stores, we have resorted to growing our own rice,” he said.
“Since rice has now become the staple food for every Papua New Guinean, both in rural and urban settings, it is time we farm our own lands and produce our own rice.”
Swemo said currently, the villagers were doing small-scale farming, which was not enough.
He said they planned to increase their farming and to produce larger quantities, however, they needed equipment with greater capacity in order to mill the amount of rice produced.
“Last year, we harvested 300kg of rice and after milling we had 250kg and in March we harvested 100kg and after the rice went through milling, we were left with 70kg,” he said.
The villagers asked their local MP Richard Maru to support them with a tractor and a larger milling machine.
Swemo said the tractor would enable them to plough and plant more rice.
He said they would also look at selling their surplus rice to wholesalers.