Daru Shopping

This photo of a street market in Daru shows some products from one of the most important trees in the South Pacific area. The Sago Palm tree grows wild, but because of it's importance, it has been transplanted to many areas and even grown commercially.

Because it is fast-growing and can tolerate high salinity levels and well as acidic and wet soils the Sago Palm has thrived. It's main use is as a primary source of starch for many indigenous people. By splitting its trunk open to extract the pith that contains the starch, as much as 250-lb (110-kg) of starch can be produced by crushing, washing, straining and drying the fibres. A secondary use is making thatching material from it's leaves.

Here, a roll of thatch suitable for use as a mat or in house construction is in the foreground while the bundles in the background with wooden sticks around them are lumps of starch for sale.