Cattle

RNZ reports the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Matai Seremiah, will be there when the cattle arrive.

A national re-stocking programme has already boosted herds in Torba and the Penama province and another 300 cattle are being distributed in Malampa and Tafea.

Last week the ministry of agriculture and livestock distributed over 600 head of cattle to the islands of Ambae, Maewo and Pentecost in Penama province following on from distributions in Torba province in June.

The Director General of the Ministry, Haward Aru, says all cattle are heavily subsidised with a young heifer being sold for around US$90.

Aru says the aim is to encourage more farmers to go into cattle farming in the country.

Last weekend, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock began distributing animals from the Tenavatu Breeding Station to six selected farmers from Guadalcanal.

The process will continue next year during which farmers from other provinces will be given animals to raise.

In 2011, the government imported around 400 head of cattle from Vanuatu, at a cost of $US150 thousand dollars and they have been kept at the Tenavatu Farm in Central Guadalcanal while selected farms have been rehabilitated.