by Bethanie Harriman – EM TV News, Lae
Oro rice farmers will be selling their produce to Trukai industries for an estimated K700 per tonne.
Today, the Provincial Government, the Oro Rice Growers Cooperative and Trukai penned an agreement paving the way forward.
Rice has been growing in the area for over 15 years.
The 45-year-old rice company is now agreeing to buy rice from Papua New Guinean farmers for a competitive price.
The agreement outlines the support Trukai will provide in training, seeds, rice innovations, quality standards and information to enable rice farmers in the province to grow rice that meets processing standards.
“Down the track to the commercial agreement could be worth around $300 US per tonne minus some costs,” said Trukai Industries CEO, Greg Worthington-Eyre.
In the agreement, Oro farmers are expected to produce three tonnes per hectare, the target yield of 3,000 tonnes and the farmers have committed 1,000 hectares of land.
The Oro Provincial Government will support the project allocating K1 million.
“It will put money directly into the people’s pockets, but the provincial government wants to see it move to the next level, they are farmers and they would need supplies and equipment, people must get into SMEs,” said Governor, Garry Juffa.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=uRLIf9gyQJM%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
