SYDNEY, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Papua New Guinea (PNG) has launched its first ever domestically growth rice enterprise on Friday, with 1 kg bags available in Port Moresby and Lae supermarkets.
Trukai Industries' new product is considered a groundbreaking moment for the South Pacific nation's agriculture sector, with many observers confident that homegrown rice will provide the country with wide-ranging economic opportunities.
Although chief executive of Trukai Industries Greg Worthington-Eyre explained to local media that growing rice in PNG is challenging and requires technical expertise and investment, the fertile soil and favorable tropical conditions make it ideal for producing the grain.
Grown in Umi's Rangiampum Village in the Morobe Province, the rice was harvested from a 275 hectare patch of rain-soaked land in the Markham Valley.
The company planned to expand this area to establish an exclusive growing area called the Markham Valley Rice Corridor.
