SAPE Farm in North Guadalcanal is expected to export its first two containers of frozen cassava starting next month.
This was revealed by the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Franklyn Derek Wasi in Parliament on Tuesday.
He was contributing to the Motion to thank His Excellency the Governor General for delivering the Speech from Throne.
Its understood the recent heavy showers that caused flooding to the farm may have forced the farm to do early harvesting.
“Due to the recent down pour and the insistence of the SAPE Farm Management for a launch of the cassava processing facility before export is done, the first two containers of freshly frozen cassava will now take in June this year,” he said.
He could not reveal where the cassava will be exported to. But its likely to Australia.
The minister said, the ministry has invested around $2.7 million in the modern state of the art cassava processing facility with a much bigger contribution from SAPE Farm.
Apart from processing of fresh cassava tubers, the facility can also produce cassava flour and livestock feed for piggery and poultry, the Minister told parliament.
“Ministry is happy to say that the investment is a worthy one and will serve this country for a very long time given that, there is already demand from the buyer to increase the number of containers from two to at least four containers every month,” he said.
Photo caption: Sape Farm Managing Director, Dr. Paul Bosawai Popora, left, with MAL team which comprised of Permanent Secretary, Ethel Tebengi Frances, Deputy Secretary Technical (DST), Michael Ho’ota and two senior officers during a visit to Sape farm in 2020.
