WOMEN in Malaita Province have welcomed the completion and opening of the Taro Pack House at Gwaigeo in Malaita Province.
The Taro Pack facility was handed over by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET), Jeremiah Manele to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Lottie Vaesekavea, last Wednesday.
The Taro Pack House will be operated by local company, Goshen Enterprises which is based in Malaita.
The company had already set up its backup taro farms and had into taro purchasing trials with its Taro Farmers’ Associations members last year.
A member of the Baunani Women Taro Association in West Kwaio, Mody Keretae, expressed her joy after witnessing the handing over of the Taro Pack House.
Ms Keretae said she was happy to witness the handing over of the taro trading centre that is soon to change the life of women in Malaita Province.
She thanked the National government and its stakeholders for recognising taro farmers in Malaita by building the Taro Pack House.
Ms Keretae said in the past years, taro farmers normally sell their taro produces at the Auki Market where sales were sometimes not good.
She added that when the demand for taro was low, it forced them to spend few days at the market to sell out their taros.
Ms Keretae said such experiences were demoralising and impacted on their motherhood responsibilities at home, especially taking care of their young children.
“Now with this new Taro Pack House, it will save us time because we can just bring our taro produces here and sell them off in one go.
“Our taro variety are not popular but as I heard from the speakers last week, our taro variety will be highly demanded by the new Taro Pack House.
“So, I am very happy because women taro farmers will not spend time at the Auki Market any more to sell our taros.” Ms Keretae said
She added that the Taro Pack House will encourage women to venture into taro farming and keep Malaita’s taro farming culture alive.
By SOLOMON LOFANA
Solomon Star, Auki
