Morobe’s Markham launches balsa-growing association

THE people of Markham in Morobe can now go into growing, harvesting and selling balsa wood.
This followed the issue and ultimate launching of the Balsa Growers Association incorporation certificate on Friday.
Association chairman Peter Samuel said they already have 150,000 balsa seedlings in polybags ready for distribution and planting throughout the district.
He said balsa was an alternative commodity to cocoa and oil palm.
Cultivation and harvesting of balsa wood was now common in East New Britain, especially in the Gazelle district.
Samuel said the association had 700 registered members from seven cluster groups (Amari, Umi, Gama, Gurup, Sangang, Leron, and Onga-Waffa).
Members each paid K50, totalling K35,000.
He said the fees collected were used to hold meetings, conduct awareness programmes, establishing contacts with local and overseas buyers and for administration purposes, which included preparing for the launching.
“It is a growers’-driven project,” Samuel said.
“We did not ask or get any assistance from any stakeholders because we wanted to show people that we can do things without asking for government hand-outs every time.
“Waiting for the government, we would not have launched the project. We decided to do it ourselves, so we did the launching.”
Each registered member would get 500 seedlings, in polybags, to plant.
Once planted, farmers would only need to keep the base free from vines and other climbing plants until about a metre or so above ground level. Once grown, the balsa tree will not need a lot of managing.
District administrator Bohage Bebinaso announced to the people that the balsa project was an entry in their yet-to-launch five-year district development plan.
He said with the government’s support, people must allow their land to be developed with the planting of balsa.
Officials, however, warned farmers not to remove their cocoa to make way for balsa.
“Leave your cocoa as it is. Find another unused piece of land and plant your balsa.
“Cocoa will be your lifeline during the rainy season,” one said, referring to his experiences with the commodity in East New Britain’s Gazelle district.