Much Rice Can

Be Grown In N. Guinea

IN early March Professor W. Pog gendorf, Chief of Division of Plant Industry of the NSW Depart ment of Agriculture, visited the north-east coast of New Guinea to study the possibilities for commercial rice growing, particularly in the areas about the mouths of the Ramu and Sepik rivers.

The Professor first visited local native rice growing projects near

Madang before flying on to make a aerial survey of the river areas. H reported that, for commercial di velopment of rice in the Territor modifications of existing breeds c rice would have to be bred in ord« to prevent the present uneven ripei ing and the dropping of the grain i wet weather.

Professor Poggendorfs visit wj expected to establish whether or n« the variety of rice known as Sawa could be established successfully i the Ramu-Sepik areas.

The Administration’s intermittei interest in rice culture in New Guine has been stimulated by the presei serious world rice situation.

Expert Is Emphatic

In a statement at the end of hi tour, Professor Poggendorf spol* strongly in favour of flooded rio culture in both Territories, as agaim the upland or dry type cultivatioi The latter depended on natural rail fall, but gave only half the yield.

Partially-flooded rice culture, pin large-scale mechanisation, was goir ahead in the Mekeo district * Papua, under direction of Ml Cottrell Dormer.

The expert pointed out that iH bulk of the world’s rice was beir produced on seasonally-flooded riv« delta lands; and he regarded tH areas of the Ramu and Sepik Rive: as ideal for this purpose—and soom or later they would take their pla< among regions contributing large: to the world’s rice supply.