Mar kham V. May Be

mit igation

Mar kham V. May Be P-NG’s Rice Bowl

tICE gowers in the Markham t Valley, Morobe District, New Guinea, are experimenting with irrigation scheme which, if suc sful, could make the Territory f-supporting in rice. in experimental initial plot of 17 •es on the property of Mr. Tom ahy is being developed at pre it.

Although the rice area of the ley is bounded by three good ers (the Markham, Erap and ralumi), crops in the past have in dependent on the rainfall, ich has not always been satis tory. ?he present experiment involves erection of a levee bank around 17 acres, with check-banks built ry 90 feet across. Using a water np installed in Maralumi Creek, is expected that the water will kept at a minimum of 6 inches i a maximum of 12 inches in each r . The soil has already been nd to be satisfactory for water ding qualities. ieveral different types of seed for ; rice are to be used in the ex iment and if the initial trial a proves successful, further ;er for other areas can be taken n the Erap. . minimum of 30,000 acres in the ley could be put under irriga i in this way. This would be re than sufficient to produce the ritory’s rice needs, ast year Papua New Guinea tin ted £1.4 million pounds worth of i from Australia.