The government has been called to assist local farmers grow and sell their organic produce, instead of diverting their attention to new farming methods.
Farmer and owner of Wisky Fresh Produce, Berry Maip, said this following the opening of the Nine Mile Agro Farm outside Port Moresby, earlier this week.
He says government should empower local farmers who are struggling to find a market for their produce.
This local farmer says the country has huge land masses available for people to cultivate, however these people need skills and training to engage in commercial farming.
Mr Maip says Papua New Guineans have the basic knowledge on how to grow food, but need the government, to empower them to enter into large scale farming.
He says it is unfair to see the government supporting foreign companies in agriculture when its own farmers are left to struggle.
Mr Maip, who acts as a middle man buying fresh produce from small holder farmers, and then resell to main centres of Lae and Port Moresby, says he takes the risk to be in this business
Just like any business, he makes money when the time is right, otherwise he makes a loss.
On behalf of the farmers, he called on the government to empower local farmers with funding, training, freight subsidies, and to find a good market for them.
He sees that the 9 mile agro farm is a threat to local farmers, and with the government fully backing this project, he sees the future of local and organically food not viable.
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