The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has reiterated that the harvesting and trading of beche-de-mer (sea cucumber) remains strictly prohibited across the region until further notice, despite recent confusion sparked by a national advertisement. In a statement, Kenneth Dovaro, secretary of the ABG Department of Primary Industries and Marine Reso...

Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has commended the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) for unveiling plans to establish a state-of- the-art Information and Data Centre at its Bubia headquarters in Morobe Province. This initiative aligns with the government’s commitment to modernise Papua New Guinea’s agriculture sector through innovation, data...

Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has hailed the inaugural air shipment of Morobe-grown coffee to Dubai as a “monumental breakthrough” for Papua New Guinea’s agricultural exports, marking a powerful step forward in unlocking the full economic potential of rural communities and affirming the Government’s commitment to commercialising agriculture. Speakin...

The Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC) has expanded its Omati Cocoa Project from Kikori in the Gulf Province to Gobe in the Southern Highlands Province in Papua New Guinea, reinforcing its commitment to building sustainable economies beyond the life of oil and gas resource extraction. In May, more than 2,000 high-quality hybrid cocoa seedling...

As Papua New Guinea marks 50 years of independence, a rare opportunity has emerged in global commodity markets — an opportunity that Prime Minister James Marape says could transform rural economies and secure lasting prosperity for farmers across the country. With international prices for cocoa and coffee soaring to record highs, and a favourable excha...

The management team of a Sri Lankan large-scale coconut-based food and beverages manufacturer/exporter, yesterday, met with the Minister for International Trade and Investment, Hon. Richard Maru, to express their keen interest to set up a coconut processing plant in Madang Province under a Joint Venture arrangement with the local investors. Jaindi Expo...

In a decisive address at the National Agricultural Industry Public-Private Sector Partnership Conference recently, Prime Minister Hon. James Marape, MP, reaffirmed  the Government’s commitment to prioritizing agriculture as a cornerstone of national development. This pivotal gathering underscored the Government’s ongoing efforts to enhance agricultural...

In the lush plains of Cape Rodney in the Abau District, within Papua New Guinea’s Central Province, more than a thousand rubber trees stand as silent witnesses to decades of agricultural ambition and, more recently, to a growing sense of abandonment. Once a hub of rural enterprise and a key player in the nation’s cash crop economy, the region’s rubber ...

The Cape Rodney Farmers & Settlers Association (CRFSA) in Abau District, Central Province is leading Papua New Guinea’s rubber production push with an ambitious development plan. The group announced a 10-year plan to cultivate 100 million rubber trees across the country, potentially turning thousands of hectares of arable land into productive rubbe...

Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has issued a powerful call to action for Papua New Guinea to transform its agriculture sector through unified public-private partnerships, during the official opening of the National Agriculture Industry Public–Private Sector Partnership Conference in Lae. The five-day conference, which ran from 7–11 April 2025, brought...

Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has reaffirmed agriculture as the cornerstone of Papua New Guinea’s future economic growth, urging all stakeholders to rally behind a united national effort to unlock the full potential of the agriculture sector. Delivering the keynote address at the closing of the National Agriculture Industry Public-Private Sector Par...

Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has thanked the New Zealand Government for the engage-ment of Papua New Guineans, who are currently working and living in Blenheim, New Zealand. Prime Minister Marape expressed his appreciation to the Government of New Zealand and the employers especially Hortus Ltd for employing Papua New Guineans through the Recognise...

Minister for International Trade and Investment, Hon. Richard Maru, has presented the final report on the government’s investigation into the business practices in the Oil Palm Industry on the floor of Parliament. Addressing Parliament on March 13, Minister Maru spoke of the historical significance of this investigation. “This is the first time in the ...

Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has announced that the National Executive Council (NEC) has approved the National Palm Oil Policy 2025-2030 during its meeting on Monday, 10 March 2025. The Prime Minister commended the Minister for Oil Palm, Hon. Francis Maneke, and the Oil Palm Industry Corporation (OPIC) for their leadership in driving the policy for...

Sustainable agricultural growth in Papua New Guinea hinges on investing in people rather than just crops, Dr. Eric Omuru, Managing Director and Principal Consultant of E.E. Omuru Limited, said during his plenary keynote at the Central Province Investment Conference (CPIC) 2024. The CPIC was co-hosted by the Central Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc....

Global coffee and cocoa prices have soared to record levels, driven by severe supply disruptions and adverse weather conditions in key producing regions, according to the latest Papua New Guinea Westpac Wallis, February 2025 Report. Coffee prices jumped 94% over the past year, with a 13.6% increase in the last month alone. Meanwhile, cocoa prices are 133%...