New Compost Company

August 18, 2020 11:34 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Godwin Ligo

Pawa Kraon is a new compost company established in Port Vila three months ago by Rickson Mawor Telkap of Ambrym.

It is a locally crafted potting soil specially formulated for tropical seedlings, vegetables and potted plants. Ingredients contain Volcanic Pumice, Coconut Husks, and Compost.

40-year-old Telkap was one of the very first Ni-Vans to go on the RSE Scheme in New Zealand and he completed 11 seasons altogether. During his time there he worked on nursery farms in South Island of New Zealand where he learnt much about compost and nursery farming.

After completing the first season, he returned, built a home for his family on Ambrym and the second time he bought a land in Port Vila and build the second home for his family, purchased and provided public bus transport in the capital.

Mr Telkap then saved up and decided on investing his money on a business which not many Ni-Vans operate in the country.

With the knowledge gained in New Zealand from compost and nursery, Rickson Telkap, decided to start a compost business and so three months ago, in May as the country approached 40th anniversary celebrations, he decided that it is time to look down on the land but in a different way, and that is to give the land ingredients.

“Before I launch the business, I did some research and learnt that the local farmers and even families and individuals are somewhat a bit scared about using imported fertilizer which they feel could spoil the land instead of enriching the land for the crops and plants,” he said.

“So, I came up with the ingredients which are fully accepted by both the locals and expatriates alike.”

Over the last eight weeks, Rickson produced many liters of compost-fertilizer. His 10-liter packages are selling at Vt1,000.

“It is easier for people who do not have their own vehicles to carry a 10-liter package just like a 10-kilo rice in a bus,” says Telkap.

As for the actual application of the compost-fertilizer, Telkap says, “you will get the instructions from where you buy the compost-fertilizer”.

He produced 20 bags of 10-liter compost-fertilizer a day and has a large supply now in stock.