Salt water intrusion, poor drainage ruin dalo farms
Salt water intrusion and drainage issues are affecting major dalo planting areas in the country.
In response, the Ministry of Agriculture will address this by improving drainage, irrigation and allocate machines to help with dalo cultivation.
Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Waterways Tomasi Tunabuna said the ministry was aware of salt water intrusion from rising sea level and how it affected dalo planting areas.
Manual labour to manage and harvest dalo stocks have also reduced because many joined other sectors for employment.
The ministry can tackle this through provision of machinery and providing services for land preparation to low intake labour shortage farms Tomasi Tunabuna Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Waterways
“The ministry can tackle this through provision of machinery and providing services for land preparation to low intake labour shortage farms,” Mr Tunabuna said.
He is optimistic of an increase in the dalo planting areas to meet the overseas demand.
On the surge of prices due to low supply, Mr Tunabuna confirmed the price of dalo in overseas markets remained stable.
“We can’t control the price of dalo, it’s on the individual farmer to decide, but, we can assist farmers to increase production, so at least prices meet a reasonable scale for local sale,” he said.
Increasing the scope of planting materials for dalo plantation in the country remains the focus of the ministry.
Youth farmers
Mr Tunabuna cautioned youth farmers not to incorporate illicit drug farming into their dalo business.
“I don’t have any data with marijuana at the moment, the police are the best authority to answer,” he said.
In terms of enhancing capacity of dalo farmers at youth level, the ministry is ready to assist these individuals either with planting materials or securing plant materials in safe houses.