MP presents rice mill

MP presents rice mill to farmers, encourages rice farming

March 19, 2020The NationalBusiness

RICE farmers in the Ihu local level government in Kikori have been given a machine to mill their rice.
Ward member for Kaivukovu and Larihairu villages Paul Mahiro and leaders received the machine from Kikori MP Soroi Eoe in Port Moresby this week.
It is in an effort to enhance the lives of people to be self-reliant and to toil the land instead of depending on handouts.
It will also help members of the community in terms of food security and small economic activities.
The machine was bought from Brian Bell at a cost of K5,395.
Eoe thanked Brian Bell for assisting local farmers.
He said rice had always been imported, therefore, people had become complacent.
“Rice can be grown anywhere in the country and, in the last 20 years, our people have discovered that Kikori land is suitable for growing rice,” he said.
The presentation came about after the local farmers submitted a proposal to Mahiro as part of his five-year development plan.
He said they must be kept busy to distract them from drug and alcohol abuse.
Mahiro said involving youths in such projects would be beneficial to them.
“The purchase of the rice mill will generate income for the youths and their families and raise their standard of living,” he said.