Previous Story
‘Marketing is biggest challenge for CNMI’s agriculture sector’
|
Posted on Jul 25 2011
Marketing has been—and remains—the biggest challenge for farmers on the islands, according to Sabalu Market president and agriculture consultant Isidoro Cabrera. This is on top of inadequate funding for the islands’ agriculture industry.
Despite the increasing trend of people wanting to get involved in agricultural activities, Cabrera said the desired growth and progress for farmers will not be realized without proper marketing support.
Saipan currently has a little over 90 farmers and ranchers, which is a 10-percent increase from last year’s, which was about 70. Tinian has about 35 farmers while there are over 50 on Rota.
“We’ve seen a significant increase in the number of our farmers and ranchers on the three islands. We also noted the increasing demand for our produce here and off-island. But due to lack of marketing, we still can’t export and bring all these produce to where there is demand,” Cabrera told Saipan Tribune.
He lauded businessman Anthony Pellegrino’s plans to open a new cargo airline and a small-scale slaughterhouse to help local farmers and businessmen.
Pellegrino had decided early this year to hold off on the slaughterhouse due to several risk factors. Among these are the availability of pigs, feed costs, and accessibility, shipping expenses, high utility rates, and federal regulations.
The decision came after the Northern Marianas College-Cooperative Research Extension and Education Service conducted a livestock survey to determine the feasibility of the slaughterhouse project on Saipan.
According to Cabrera, the slaughterhouse project will now push through but on a smaller scale. Last week, he gave a $50 investment for the project and he encouraged fellow farmers and ranchers to put in their share.
Cabrera said that during last week’s farmers’ meeting in Lower Base, majority of the more than 30 attendees affirmed their support for the slaughterhouse project.
