TO LESSEN DEPENDENCE ON IMPORTS DLNR assists farmers in marketing produce

The Department of Lands and Natural Resources has drawn up a plan to help farmers in efficiently marketing their agricultural produce and eventually expand its local production.

DLNR has been meeting with farmers to find ways on how they can profitably sell their vegetables and fruits and eventually widen their market by tapping the hotels and restaurants.

Starting this week, some of the farmers will be bringing their produce to Garapan Street Market every Thursday. However, beginning April 15, a Farmers Market will be held every Saturday morning from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in Susupe.

Direct marketing approach is expected to resolve the problems encountered by farmers with the current consignment agreement they have with some stores.

Despite the limited land area suited for farming, the CNMI can intensify its agriculture production to lessen its dependence on imported vegetables and even supply the hotels and restaurants with quality produce.

“It’s all a matter of good management,” said Robert A. Markstein, agricultural planner of the Department of Lands and Natural Resources.

Farmers can also expand their pickled products and improve their packaging to attract the tourists who would be a huge potential market for their produce, he said.

All of these can be simultaneously done with the goal to produce high quality crops to lessen dependence on the foreign market, Mr. Markstein added. With unreliability of supply, many restaurants, hotels and supermarkets still order vegetables from the U.S. mainland. One-half to two-thirds of all fresh fruits and vegetables consumed on the island of Saipan are imported.

In maintaining the freshness of the produce, Mr. Markstein said the farmers should be given assistance in post-harvest handling method.

With the island’s economy that has put so much dependence on tourism and garment, agriculture development has taken the back seat. But with the current economic slump, agriculture is once again seen as an area that will help the island to become self-sufficient in vegetable production and satisfy the demand of the tourism industry.

Mr. Markstein, who used to work as director of the Department of Agriculture in American Samoa, said the increasing the volume of production does not necessarily mean becoming dependent on pesticides.

“We can produce high quality products without using pesticides,” he said. The CNMI, he said should look into the possibility of producing a variety of pineapple that can resist typhoon season. Papaya production can be improved to cater to the tourism industry.

Over 50 farmers have availed of the Kagman plots offered by the CNMI government. Local farmers are given the opportunity to lease government land for a minimal fee to help promote locally grown agriculture products as well as stimulate the economy.

Patrick M. Calvo, chairman of Saipan and Northern Islands Soil and Water Conservation District, has earlier emphasized the need of farmers for technical assistance to be able to produce quality fruits and vegetables that can be sold to hotels on the island.

Currently, Mr. Calvo said they need scientific tools to help determine the nutrients lacking in the soil and the right type of fertilizer to use as local producers are only relying on their limited farming knowledge. The technical assistance will help local producers improve their production of watermelons, cantaloupes and honeydew melon.

Flooding and inadequate water supply have been perennial problems in the 340-acre publicly and privately-owned cropland in the Kagman area. DLNR, which operates the 220-acre Kagman Commercial Farm Plots, and the SWCD have addressed these problems.

Most of the farms now are connected to the Kagman Watershed Areas through the pipelines installed. He said a big tank on top of the hill will be constructed to pump in the needed water in the farms.

The installation of a system of waterways for flood protection and for water collection and a water reservoir and an irrigation water distribution system are contained in a multi-purpose plan for Kagman Watershed on the island.