FPDA chairman Fabian Chow…K250m market
Fresh oranges, ginger, beans and mandarins on sale at Goroka market
Ripe red tomatoes and other vegetables galore at Goroka market
Giant broccoli fresh from the garden at Goroka marketFresh produce marketed in Papua New Guinea is estimated to be worth more than K250 million per annum and still increasing, according to the Fresh Produce Development Authority.
FPDA chairman Fabian Chow said at the launching of its five-year corporate plan (2010-2014) at the Crowne Plaza last Thursday that demand was anticipated to increase with developments in the gas, petroleum and mining sectors.
“Given the many challenges and opportunities that have emerged and are still emerging, the fresh produce industry and particularly more than 85% of Papua New Guinea’s population who derive their income and livelihood from food crops, need to position themselves strategically to benefit from these emerging opportunities,” he said.
“The critical challenge was the lack of a corporate direction and hence a disconnection between programmes and projects, and the overall corporate goals.
“This resulted in FPDA’s corporate goals not being aligned well with the real industry, and high sectoral and policy goals set by the government through the medium term development strategy (MTDA) and the national agriculture development plan (NADP).
“The significant achievement which sets the foundation for a planned and systematic development in the fresh produce industry is the development of this corporate plan and most importantly, the development of the institutional and organisational capacity to implement the plan.”
Mr Chow said FPDA had over the years faced a lot of challenges, despite some notable achievements, such as the development of the seed potato productions systems which contributed to the K50 million potato industry.
“FPDA has also over the last 20 years built the capacity of men and women farmers, youths, school children, particularly through training, extension visits and advice, marketing information and technical production information through its seven centres strategically located across the country,” he said.
“The evidence of these inputs can be seen in the increasing level of vegetable production and marketing, and diverse lines of vegetables grown and sold in our urban and roadside markets and the wholesalers and food service sectors.
“Papua New Guineans today are beginning to enjoy a wider choice of locally-grown fruits and vegetables compared to years prior to 1989.
“There are, however, a lot of improvements yet to be made and FPDA is conscientiously working on improving the volumes supplied, the quality and price of certain lines of produce to match the demands and compete with imported products.”
FPDA chairman Fabian Chow said at the launching of its five-year corporate plan (2010-2014) at the Crowne Plaza last Thursday that demand was anticipated to increase with developments in the gas, petroleum and mining sectors.
“Given the many challenges and opportunities that have emerged and are still emerging, the fresh produce industry and particularly more than 85% of Papua New Guinea’s population who derive their income and livelihood from food crops, need to position themselves strategically to benefit from these emerging opportunities,” he said.
“The critical challenge was the lack of a corporate direction and hence a disconnection between programmes and projects, and the overall corporate goals.
“This resulted in FPDA’s corporate goals not being aligned well with the real industry, and high sectoral and policy goals set by the government through the medium term development strategy (MTDA) and the national agriculture development plan (NADP).
“The significant achievement which sets the foundation for a planned and systematic development in the fresh produce industry is the development of this corporate plan and most importantly, the development of the institutional and organisational capacity to implement the plan.”
Mr Chow said FPDA had over the years faced a lot of challenges, despite some notable achievements, such as the development of the seed potato productions systems which contributed to the K50 million potato industry.
“FPDA has also over the last 20 years built the capacity of men and women farmers, youths, school children, particularly through training, extension visits and advice, marketing information and technical production information through its seven centres strategically located across the country,” he said.
“The evidence of these inputs can be seen in the increasing level of vegetable production and marketing, and diverse lines of vegetables grown and sold in our urban and roadside markets and the wholesalers and food service sectors.
“Papua New Guineans today are beginning to enjoy a wider choice of locally-grown fruits and vegetables compared to years prior to 1989.
“There are, however, a lot of improvements yet to be made and FPDA is conscientiously working on improving the volumes supplied, the quality and price of certain lines of produce to match the demands and compete with imported products.”
Fabian,
ReplyDeletethe market has been analysed to death. The fundamental problem is the transport of produce to the consumers. It has been pleasing that vegetables are now being flown from mt Hagen to Port Moresby, but did FPDA facilitate this ? No !
Simply because FPDA spends most of its time pondering it navel, and has not got the commercial nous within its staff.
FPDA has the potential to be a prime mover in the fresh produce arena, but it has to stop navel gazing. The AUSAID assistance is a farce, and simply results in more theories, and fatter consultants cheques.
If you run FPDA in the same way that yout run soccer teams, then give up !
Yes, absolutely agree, and when the Board is populated with commercial minded people, FPDA might move ahead. Bob HARGREAVES held back FPDA for many years with his whining and whinging, and with his departure things might get better.
ReplyDeleteIs it FPDA's role to find markets for PNG's fresh produce to overseas?
ReplyDelete