To support local farmers to encourage them to take part in cash cropping, extension services in agriculture into rural areas must take place.This was according to the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) Minister John Simon who said that the country needs 400 agriculture extension officers.“Many farmers are trying their best to sustain their farm...

The round log export tax was a failed policy.According to Forestry Industry Association president Bob Tate, the current tax regime (50.2 per cent) had affected businesses which resulted in a decline of US$83 million (K288.42mil) from January to November in 2020.In 2020, royalty payment to landowners also saw a decline of K16 million because of the decreas...

Papua New Guinea may likely export rice in the future. That is if this industry can gain support. According to the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) rice extension unit programme manager Heai Hoko, only Trukai Industries has been exporting rice to Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands presently. He added that PNG rice had the potential to export to...

To generate income, the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) has plans to develop rice farming into a corporate entity.According to the programme manager for the department’s rice extension unit Steven Hoko, rice at present is only a programme in the department. He said that the plan involved creating a rice board with its own corporate entity to...

If production increases from 4,500 tonnes to 10,000 tonnes a year, Morobe may likely net K100 million a year. According to the Cocoa Board of Papua New Guinea (CBPNG) chief executive officer Boto Gaupu, the profit of the province may increase if the tonnage is increased too. “Morobe used to produce about 800 tonnes of cocoa in a year but over the last fiv...

Prime Minister Hon James Marape has urged the nation to venture into the small- agricultural business. “We will partner districts and provinces who want to help the National Government empower our people with increased revenue from their investments in agriculture,” he said. “There is a global demand for coffee, vanilla, cocoa, copra, oil palm, rubber, et...

According to Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) Highlands region provincial and industry support services director John Jave, the spice industry needs growth and development - with farming, processing, and supporting household farming tagged as vital to the economy of the country. “Spice in PNG has a huge potential in generating foreign exchang...

The Tonolei logging project in South Bougainville is set to start next month.This was disclosed by local MP Timothy Masiu, the Communication and Information Technology Minister, who said that resource developer KKCL based in East New Briain would land its equipment and machinery next month.He also thanked the Tonolei Development Corporation (TDC) landowne...

In order to have a better society, start with the lives of each family first. To do this, empower them with programmes that can boost their economic independence. Thus, said Kokopo MP Emil Tammur, who added that coconut and cocoa development programmes would grow the local economy so that families can earn. He added that the priority of the Kokopo develop...

In sync with the goal of the government to limit rice imports, Agriculture and Livestock Minister John Simon said that it is perhaps best that rice importers invest in the local rice economy. “We’d like to see companies investing in the country,” he said. “On rice, what we are going to do is to see us growing the industry. We must not always continue to i...

Cabinet has approved the K20 million submission to establish the facilities of the National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority (Naqia) across the country.According to Agriculture and Livestock Minister John Simon, “The managing director Joel Alu and I took the submission to the Cabinet in which we got an approval of roughly K20 million to set...

In the next four years (2021 to 2024), the export and production value of spices is expected to rise from K200 million to K500 million.According to the chief executive officer for PNG Spice Industry Board Michael Waisime, plans are to promote and develop a spice industry towards a sustainable economy. He said that to increase the production, training of f...

With the resealing and the road maintenance project to start next year on the New Britain Highway from Kokopo to Bitagunan, Cocoa farmers in East New Britain (ENB) will have better access to markets.This follows after the PNG-Australia partnership has awarded a K9.3 million contract. According to the Australian High Commission, connecting farmers has been...

Palm oil prices have returned to normal.According to New Britain Palm Oil Ltd (NBPOL), the cost is presently at US$880 (K3,019.95) per metric tonne cost, insurance, and freight Rotterdam mark.Country manager Robert Nilkare said that this important achievement was a source of income for employees and smallholders and of foreign currency for the country. He...

To help landowners maximise the productivity and benefits of their land, PNG Biomass is promoting and encouraging the practice of intercropping - where individuals can plant cash crops in between rows.An example is the communities in Markham Valley where new landowner groups are now expecting to open up their land to small-scale agroforestry production. W...

As a measure to partner with financial institutions, the Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI) recently conducted a workshop in agriculture lending and implementing the Market For Village Farmers Project. In his opening remarks, CEFI Executive Director Saliya Ranasinghe said, “One of the differences with this particular project is that we wo...