Photo: Minister John Simon According to Minister John Simon, the Department of Agriculture and Livestock has the capacity to give the country economic independence within the next five to ten years. He claimed that around 90% of those who reside in rural areas are actively engaged in agriculture. The goal of the government is to increase output and open up markets. “The DAL will give economic independence to the country in the next five to 10 years because the Government has been supporting the department with funding to improve the market and export,” he said. Simon claimed that he has been working to develop initiatives and price support schemes for agricultural and cash crop items to boost value and output. According to him, the price campaign and instructions issued to exporters not to manipulate prices will result in an increase in the overall export of agricultural products. “We (Government) knew the market prices so we told the exporters to pay the right price to the farmers and producers to increase production,” he said. “We are paying better prices for coffee and cocoa so you can see the production started to increase.” According to Simon, the nation used to earn between K350 million and K400 million from only exporting coffee. This year, it will rise to K800 million. “We are now encouraging the people to grow cocoa and coffee to benefit from the Government support programme,” he said.   Reference: The National (28 June 2022). “Potential in agriculture to drive economy”.

In a bid to enable farmers to put into practice skills acquired during capacity-building trainings, the EU Funded UN Joint STREIT PNG Programme has started distributing tools and materials that will enable rural communities to improve their husbandry practices in cocoa and vanilla blocks. This intervention which started in May has so far distributed to 52 cocoa farmer groups in East Sepik Province and 38 cocoa farmer groups in Sandaun Province with 900,000 polybags, 90 shade cloths, 180 telescopic pole pruners, 90 measuring tape and 90 boxes of budding tape. These inputs will help the farmers to rehabilitate their blocks to improve the production of high-quality cocoa beans for an increased income to support their livelihood and families. These groups all have already received tailored training on cocoa bud grafting and block management organised by the Programme in collaboration with PNG Cocoa Board and Department of Agriculture and Livestock officers in the districts and LLGs . The skills acquired during these trainings assist the farmers to enhance their cultivation, farm management and harvesting practices. The 90 registered cocoa groups of over 45,000 farmers have started propagation of cocoa bod borer (CPB) tolerant seedlings in their respective nurseries.  The Programme will continue to support them, whereby each group will have their seedlings purchased and distributed to their respective members or farmers including youths and women for free. “I want to say thank you to STREIT PNG and the financiers of this Programme the European Union. The trainings we attended, we will now put into practice using these tools and materials,” said Mrs Maureen Mombi, whom with her husband Ben are organizing and supporting three farmer groups of 1500 members from Mushu Island, Hambraure Village (Wewak District) and Hambini Village (Ambunti-Drekikier District). For the vanilla value chain, the Programme has distributed 120 sets of vanilla cultivation, husbandry and processing tools including shovels/spade, gumboots, pruning baskets, harvesting knife, cooking pot, cooler box, strainer, thick clot, digital thermometer, kraft/wax paper, plastic canvas, and cardboard box to the farmers in 11 villages of Wewak District and 4 villages of Aitape/Lumi District. 6 Vanilla vines treatment shed with a 10,000 vines capacity has been established. The vanilla kits and sheds in total so far is supporting more than 4000 men, women and youths in rural Sepik. “The transfer of knowledge and skills to farmers and their families is an important extension activity that must be supported with tools and materials. Under the Programme we distributing these items as well with new technology to improve their practice,” explained Programme Coordinator Dr Xuebing Sun. “Tools and materials are vital link in adoption of technologies for sustainable farming systems which is being encouraged under the Programme,” added Dr Sun. Among the recipients were 1000 plus farmers from four remote communities of inland Turubu area in Wewak District, East Sepik Province. On behalf of youths and women in the village who will also benefit from this intervention, Brigitte Kamiresa, a mother at Mundangai Village, said: “I want to thank European Union. We mothers didn’t attend big schools so our youths or kids will help train us to use these tools and materials to improve our practices.” The national technical officers of cocoa and vanilla value chain have also explained on the local radios the distribution of tools and materials for farmer groups/clusters that have already been formalised and are supported under the rural agriculture development programme. “If you have transport, please come to the office at Wharf Road. For those in hard-to-reach areas, we will come to you,” said Mr Michael Lames, National Cocoa Value Chain Officer. The distribution of quality inputs by the Programme will continue to cover other farmer groups in the Programme’s implementation sites in East Sepik and Sandaun provinces. The EU-STREIT PNG, as a UN Joint Programme (FAO as leading agency, and ILO, ITU, UNCDF and UNDP as partners), is the largest grant-funded Programme of the European Union in the country and the Pacific region. Being implemented in close cooperation with the National and provincial government institutions, research entities, civil society organizations, and private sector enterprises, the Programme aims to help improve the lives of the people from East Sepik and Sandaun provinces, by focusing on increasing sustainable and inclusive economic development of rural areas through improved economic returns and opportunities from cocoa, vanilla and fishery value chains while strengthening and improving the efficiency of value chain enablers, including the business environment, and supporting sustainable, climate-proof transport and energy infrastructure development.

A group from the National Fisheries Authority is in General Santos, Philippines, led by board chairman Ango Wangatau, to exchange and gain fisheries expertise and experiences in this region. General Santos is renowned as the Philippines' "Tuna" city capital, and visiting this region provides delegates with first-hand information and improved ideas for implementing the Fisheries Strategic Plan 2021-2030 and achieving its objectives. It has the Philippines' most modern fish port and contributes significantly to the country's earnings. The remarkable expansion of fisheries in General Santos was driven by collaboration between the government and important stakeholders, which the NFA delegates witnessed and will think about further when they return home. “Seeing is believing and we needed to come and see the sizeable scale and strength of this Fisheries industry in the Philippines. “From here we want to incorporate the existing knowledge and experience of our Philippine counterparts to model and expand our own infrastructure in PNG,” Mr. Wangatau said. According to him, the goal of the Fisheries Strategic Plan is to change Papua New Guinea into the Pacific's "Tuna Capital," thus visits like these are important to gather additional expertise from a country that has already been transformed. The delegates saw tuna landings, grading, weighing, and processing, as well as the fishing boat docking yard and the world's largest prawns and fish farm. These first-hand experiences will help PNG Fisheries prepare for the establishment of a downstream processing facility for all tuna collected in the country, as well as greater employment development for the people. “We are here and have seen what is done with fisheries in General Santos. If it can be done here, we can also do it in PNG,” he said.   Reference: Post-Courier (16 June 2022). “National Fisheries Team Visits Philippines Tuna Capital For Exposure”.

After 20 years, the Department of Agriculture and Livestock intends to reorganise and construct a corporate and sector strategy. At the 4th World Food Safety Day, Acting Secretary Dr. Nelson Simbiken stated this. According to Dr. Simbiken, the key to reforming the department is to have a Corporate Plan and a Sector Plan, which DAL does not have. The National Agriculture Development Plan, which was implemented in 2006, was the last excellent sector plan in effect. Dr. Simbiken explained that they had been attempting to integrate government programmes but that they lacked a clear focus on how to deliver, draw resources, and attract investment.  “In the next few months, we will be launching the DAL Corporate plan. It will be the first corporate plan, 2023 to 2027. We are targeting to launch it at the end of this month. We are going to review the NADP, Policy expenditure and sustainable development goals and integrate this 20-year plan.”   Reference: Iru, Jasmine. Loop (9 June 2022). “DAL New Corporate Plan Underway”.

Photo credit: Islands Business Although the economy has diversified, agriculture remains the backbone of Papua New Guinea's economy, providing a living for the majority of the people, according to Institute of National Affairs (INA) executive director Paul Barker. Agriculture, according to Barker, will be critical in securing PNG's economic and employment future, as well as the country's status as a significant agricultural and food producer both locally and regionally. However, he claimed that large portions of the nation were unproductive or too steep for commercial cultivation. “The population is also growing fast, with growing land pressure in parts of the country, as well as the challenges of growing urbanisation and limited formal sector employment opportunities, weak governance, and a relatively short and rather unsatisfactory history of investment in infrastructure and human resource development.” According to Barker, this is exacerbated by pervasive and escalating corruption, as well as inadequate utilisation and accountability of public monies. “Clearly, this also applies to supposed renewable resources, such as forestry and some fisheries and other marine resources which have been widely treated as an infinite resource but extracted in an unsustainable and damaging manner, with repeated harvests well within the period for regrowth or population recovery, or using seriously destructive.”   Reference: The National (7 June 2022). “Agriculture ‘backbone of the economy”. 

Photo:  EU-STREIT PNG Programme, in its ongoing efforts to build the capacity of rural entrepreneurs and business activities and to create linkages of value chain actors with the public and private sector in the Sepik Region, supports the formation of a Greater Sepik Secretariat Forum. With the backing of the EU Funded UN Joint STREIT PNG Programme, the Greater Sepik Secretariat Forum (GSSF) has been formalised and is set to promote and strengthen agribusiness activities in the Greater Sepik region of Papua New Guinea. Officiating the inaugural meeting, the FAO Gender and Youth Leading Expert, Ms Patu Shang, called for inclusive participation and genuine representation. Addressing the participants, including the five interim executives of the Greater Sepik Secretariat Forum, Ms Shang underscored: “you are key players in the sector and in a group like this, we can work together by bringing out the issues, and learn from each other. I am also happy to see 50/50 women participation, and this is how it should work.” Five of the executives are officers of the East Sepik and Sandaun Provincial Administrations, while two are from the private sector. The Secretariat Forum will act as a platform for all key stakeholders and value chain actors to exchange views and discuss real-time experiences on best practices, challenges and partnership opportunities for the targeted value chains of cocoa, vanilla and fisheries that are supported under the Programme in the Sepik Region, explained the FAO Value Chain & Small Medium Enterprise (SME) Officer, Mr Alwyn Badui. “At the end of the EU Funded UN Joint EU STREIT PNG Programme, this forum will continue to facilitate the promotion of rural agribusiness through partnership to strengthen each other and also for sourcing outside support in terms of marketing,” explained Mr Badui. The participants, who are key businessmen and women representing SMEs, cooperatives, women and youth groups, were very supportive of this initiative that will act as a platform to support their farming and business activities in the two Sepiks. A female vanilla exporter, Nancy Fale said: “This is a good initiative that will help us to discuss and learn from each other on our failures, our strengths and weaknesses, so that after EU-STREIT, we can stand on our own with the support of this forum to take us to the next level.” For James Dohmun, a cooperative representative from the hinterland of Drekikier in East Sepik, he described the meeting as a learning as well as a business opportunity and said: “If I didn’t attend, I would not learn something new about inland fish farming today.” The gathering pulled together 46 participants, including youths and women from the public and private sectors who also shared best practices, key challenges and partnership opportunities available in cocoa, vanilla and fisheries value chains that can be utilised to support and promote their business activities, growth, income, cash flow and employment for the rural communities. Highlighting the importance of the Geographical Indication (GI) initiative that the EU-STREIT PNG Programme is pursuing with the Investment Promotion Authority, the FAO SME Officer, Mr Badui, said that the use of GI will leverage market competitiveness which will contribute to meeting the aspirations of this forum in transforming the economy in the Sepik Region and PNG as a whole. GI is a globally recognised trademark on products and crafts that has a geographical origin and possesses qualities or recognition. EU-STREIT PNG, being implemented as a United Nations Joint Programme (FAO as leading agency/administrative agent, and ILO, ITU, UNCDF, and UNDP as implementing partners), is the largest grant-funded Programme of the European Union in the country and the Pacific region. The Programme aims to help improve the lives of the people from East Sepik and Sandaun provinces, by focusing on increasing sustainable and inclusive economic development of rural areas through improved economic returns and opportunities from cocoa, vanilla and fishery value chains while strengthening and improving the efficiency of value chain enablers, including the business environment, and supporting sustainable, climate-proof transport and energy infrastructure development.   Article courtesy of EU-STREIT PNG

According to Madang Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Kevin Murray, the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone (PMIZ) project in Madang would increase the province's fisheries industry. Despite the lack of certainty about the project, Murray claimed that residents in the Madang area support it because it will create employment. “A number of canneries will be developed apart from RD Tuna which is the main one in the province today,” he said. Acting managing director Justin Ilakini of the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) said the NFA was now going back to the drawing board to ensure that the project was completed appropriately, with the government authorising K100 million for it in this year's budget. He said plans were in the works to form a project steering committee made up of officers from several agencies, with the National Planning and Monitoring Department and the NFA co-chairing the project team. “Government transferred the PMIZ project to the NFA,” Murray said. “In the last budget, they approved K100 million for the project. “We have, more or less, go back to the drawing board to make sure that everything is done properly. “What we are doing now is to make sure that every study that needs to be done is done.” Ilakini said the NFA would ensure that there were development partners on hand to help develop the project. “It’s a really big project and the Government feels strongly that it’s a good project that will create more than 30,000 jobs. “It will provide the opportunity for investors to come and set up may be more than 10 tuna processing plants and other spinoff benefits for the local people.” According to Ilakini, the government has already purchased the property for the project.   Reference: The National (19 May 2022). “PMIZ project will boost fisheries in Madang, says official”.

Dr Nelson Simbiken, the chief executive officer of the Papua New Guinea Spice Business Board (PNGSIB), believes there is an opportunity for corruption in the industry and calls for a revision of the PNG Spice Industry Act of 1989. He added that the board's goal would be to examine the Act and establish authority over the following two years. “The spice industry board currently has to become an authority, so it can generate money for the government. Instead of depending on the government, we can look after ourselves,” he said. “We live or die by the review of the establishment of the Act itself, it must be reviewed.” He made the remarks after two PNGSIB personnel and a Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) staff were recently arrested in Port Moresby for alleged fraud. The spice industry board had been in operation since 1989, but owing to a shortage of funds in the early 2000s, it was placed under DAL to secure its continued operation, according to Simbiken. “Whatever little money DAL gets, it supports the spice industry board as a programme because we’re not getting sufficient support from the government in terms of goods and services, personnel emoluments and others.” DAL has been supporting the initiative at the national level since 2003, according to Simbiken. He stated that all funds received by the statutory body were transferred to the department and subsequently to the company operating account. “Although we have an Act, it is an outdated one, and market trends have changed,” he said. “Vanilla is now the country’s leading spice product. “Since 2018, PNG has been exporting 400 metric tonnes of vanilla annually and it is bringing in over K300 million each year,” Simbiken said. “It is comparable to cocoa, coffee and copra, so vanilla is a major industry in the country now.” Except for Enga, Hela, and the Southern Highlands, he noted that all country provinces were cultivating vanilla.   Reference: Esila, Peter. The National (20 April 2022). “Board wants to review Act”.

According to James Marape, East Sepik should become the world's vanilla capital and a cocoa trading hub. This isn't impossible, given that Papua New Guinea – mainly through East Sepik – is one of the world's top vanilla producers. The World Bank estimates that PNG will soon overtake Madagascar as the world's second-largest producer. East Sepik is also PNG's leading cocoa grower, with the country's cocoa regarded among the best in the world. The government intends to turn the vast Sepik Plains into the country's largest agricultural hub. PM Marape stated that K2 million in vanilla cuttings and cocoa seedlings would be supplied to the people of Angoram in order for them to engage in large-scale commercial production of these products. On Thursday, April 14th, 2022, he announced this in Angoram, when he opened the Angoram District Office and Angoram Market and the Angoram Sports Stadium and Bank South Pacific branch. The Prime Minister also donated K5 million to Hon. Angoram, the Member of Parliament for Angoram. Salio Waipo has been tasked with completing several projects in the district. “I want East Sepik – Angoram, Maprik, Wosera-Gawi, Yangora-Saussia, Ambunti-Dreikikier and Wewak – to become the capital of vanilla, not just for Papua New Guinea, but for the whole world,” PM Marape said. “I also want East Sepik to become an international hub for cocoa. “You have the land and organic soil to achieve this. “I want your partnership and your commitment today, people of Yangoru. “Young men: Drinking homebrew will not change your lives. Going back to the land will change your lives. “It is Easter, but do not just carry the cross of Jesus if you are not going back to the land, do not go to church if you do not want to work the land. “I point you toward agriculture. “That’s the easiest and quickest way to put money in your pockets.” PM Marape stated that the Governor had notified him of East Sepik. According to Allan Bird, families might earn K20,000 per hectare of vanilla and K15,000 per hectare of cocoa. “The people here have more than one hectare of land,” he said. “Every family has three to four hectares. “If you put your efforts into commercial agriculture instead of subsistence agriculture, this is in line with the Government’s ‘Take Back PNG’ policy. “It is about villagers making money on their own land. “Your Government has put in place a policy on price support. “If the price of cocoa, coffee or vanilla is down, the Government will hike this up through price support. “We want people to make money and remain in their villages.” PM Marape stated that the Sepik Plains would be developed into PNG's largest agricultural centre. “We have the biggest plain in all of Papua New Guinea,” he said. “This should be the focus to turn the people of East Sepik into becoming economically productive. “We want to turn the entire Sepik Plains into an economic hub which will ensure that everyone has money in your pockets.”   Reference: PM James Marape News Page (18 April 2022). “PM Marape Wants East Sepik to become vanilla capital of world, international hub for cocoa”. 

Photo: PM Marape addressing the people of Mengar James Marape has advised East Sepik residents to invest more in agriculture to strengthen the local and national economies. He made the announcement at Mengar, Wewak, during the inauguration of the K500 million Wewak International Port, which Korea sponsored in collaboration with the Papua New Guinea government. All of the people of East Sepik's agricultural efforts, according to PM Marape, would be for nought if there was no port to transport their goods to foreign markets. He said the new port would help him establish official economic ties with Indonesia, which he visited last month. Papua New Guinea, through East Sepik, is one of the world's major vanilla producers, with much of it crossing the Indonesian land boundary. “All the work we are doing in East Sepik in vanilla, cocoa and other agriculture produce will be wasted if this port is not built,” PM Marape said. “We already have a wharf in Wewak. However, we need something bigger and better to sustain tomorrow's economy – consistent with our view that everyone must have money in their pockets. “I urge all the people of East Sepik to go into agriculture.” According to PM Marape, East Sepik is already benefiting from the K340 million European Union-funded Support to Rural Entrepreneurship, Investment, and Trade (STREIT) initiative, which focuses heavily on agriculture and fisheries. Aside from that, the government is pumping millions of kina into farm price assistance, freight subsidies, and other initiatives. PM Marape expressed gratitude to Mengar landowners for permitting the new port to be built on their land and promised government aid to displaced residents, including improved road access and power. He also promised government funding for Mengar's local school. “The economy, and the people, must benefit from this port which will be built over the next two years,” he said.   Reference: PM James Marape News Page (16 April 2022). “PM Marape launches K500 million Wewak Port”. 

According to the British High Commission in PNG, Papua New Guinea's specialty coffee has consistently received top cupping scores for its unique and distinctive single-origin Arabica coffee. The coffee was pushed by the UK's trade partnerships programme (UKTP), which was provided through the International Trade Centre, Banz Kofi, and the PNG Coffee Industry Corporation, according to the commission. The speciality coffee was presented in the center, which was chosen by smallholders from PNG's lush volcanic soil. UKTP has assisted coffee farmers and exporters in PNG in gaining market recognition for high-quality speciality coffee and connecting producers with buyers, benefiting whole communities along the agricultural value chain. British High Commissioner to PNG Keith Scott said: “When the UK and PNG signed an economic partnership agreement in 2019, export promotion in targeted sectors was an important element. “PNG coffee is the best in the world. Increasing access to the large UK speciality coffee market, and beyond, ensures new sales for participating companies and offers real benefits to local coffee-growing communities in PNG. “UK support will also enable PNG speciality coffee to be showcased at the London Coffee Festival, the Food and Drink Expo in Birmingham (April 25 to 27) and the Speciality Coffee Association World of Coffee event in Warsaw, Poland, in June.   Reference: The National (31 March 2022). “UK promoting PNG coffee”.

Since 2003, the Japanese government has provided K19.2 million to encourage rice production in East Sepik and Madang, according to Nobuyuki Watanabe, the Japanese Ambassador to Papua New Guinea. “K11.2million was funded in the first phase of the promotion of smallholder rice production project from December 2003 to November 2008,” he said. “Another extension of K8 million was later funded in the second phase of the project from December 2011 to November 2015 which included Milne Bay,” he added. Rice is a basic cuisine of Papua New Guinea, according to him, although "it is primarily imported." “So Papua New Guineans are aiming at improving food security in targeted provinces. “There are 706 smallholder farmers in Madang which exceeded the set project indicator of 580 farmers. “Madang rice ‘Magic Marasin’ is packed, semi-commercialised and sold locally in Madang which is a good indication of sustainable subsistence rice farming. “Model farmers in Madang must continue growing rice locally for their own survival and also to improve food security in the province,” he said. Madang Agriculture and Livestock acting assistant director Joe Naram said: “With help from the Japanese Government, we can see progress with rice farming in Madang. “There is the land in Middle Ramu that we were carrying out feasibility studies for rice farming. K2 million will be given to the Madang Provincial Administration from the National Planning Department in the next three weeks to fund a rice farming project there,” he said. “We are focusing on the concept of commercial rice farming for Madang. “We will have a very big challenge in rice farming if we want to go into commercial rice farming. “There will be arrangements made with commercial companies to get their rice supplies from our own local farmers and sell nationwide.”   Reference: The National (28 March 2022). “Japan spent K19mil growing rice”.

According to Coffee Industry Corporation Ltd (CICL) board chairman Jerry Kapka, the increase in the levy on green bean coffee exports from 10t to 20t per kilogramme is reasonable. “The increase is not same as 10t administrative levy. With the current scenario facing the coffee industry, the board has seen the need to have a reserved funding source assigned specifically for coffee development initiatives, including quality improvement and market accessibility,” Kapka said in a paid notice. “The additional 10t levy will be used under strict guidelines to help exporters, processors, plantations, block holders and smallholders’ associations to develop the industry. The additional levy was approved by representatives of all sector associations on the board. “The exporter, processor/plantation, block holder and smallholder, including Government representatives, have seen the merit of introducing the levy for coffee development to be deployed directly to impact the industry, unlike the administrative levies “The coffee development levy will be directly fixed to projects or programmes to support exporters, processors, plantations, block holders and smallholders and not only to increase production but also provide incentives to direct interests on coffee farming activities,” he added. CICL acting chief executive Charles Dambui said: “We cannot just expect all the time from Government/CICL to fix and address all our sector association’s issues. “We must be seen implementing some of the policies we made on the board as representatives of the associations. We cannot talk and watch things to happen or expect the Government to fix all our problems. “We want to know the standing of Highlands Farmers and Settlers Association who claimed to represent exporters, processors, smallholders and plantations. “The decision undertaken to increase coffee levy was made by the legitimate representatives of exporters, plantations, processors, block holders and smallholders of the coffee industry, appointed by the Government through their associations,” he added.   Reference: The National (22 March 2022). “Increase in coffee export levy ‘reasonable’ to develop industry”.

Photo: Rocky Roe - ABC According to Ambassador Jernej Videtic, the European Union (EU) is willing to provide Papua New Guinea with hundreds of millions of Kina to help the country complete its forestry reforms. “Some of the areas that the EU will help are in environmental data management for carbon trading, knowledge management, green jobs and growth, among others. “PNG holds one of the largest primary forests of the world,” Videtic said. Videtic, who spoke at the PNG Forest Authority’s workshop to celebrate the 2022 International Day of Forest 2022 said PNG was in danger of climate change. “Forestry, climate change and biodiversity are intrinsically connected specially for PNG,” he said. “We are aware that your forest not only serves PNG but Europe and the entire world. “We are ready to support PNG and allocate significant funds in the hundreds of millions of Kina for forestry, climate change and biodiversity programmes, three elements that cannot be separated,” he added. Solan Mirisim, the Minister of Forestry, stated that it was critical to use and manufacture wood in an environmentally responsible manner. “1.6 billion people depend on the forest for their livelihood and PNG is no exception,” he added. PNGFA managing director John Mosoro said the authority was also implementing changes, including the much-discussed log export development charge, to guarantee that revenues flow to forest resource regions.   Reference: The National (22 March 2022). “EU ready to help reform forestry”.

Photo: MP John Simon Local coffee  farmers of Robusta Coffee in PNG will now have the opportunity to export and sell their Robusta Green Beans to Dubai as talks to open trade between the two countries is set to become a reality. PNG’s Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, John Simon said PNG Robusta coffee will be selling at K10 per kilo which is equivalent to the price of Arabica Coffee which is currently selling double the price at the United Arab Emirates. Minister Simon said he had made arrangements to ship the first two bags of Robusta green beans in his District in MapriK, East Sepik Province to Dubai as part of an agreement with the Coffee marketer in Dubai. The minister said he travelled across the world to look for a potential market for coffee and having been told that there is a market for Robusta in Dubai is exciting news. “Robusta coffee is  not bought at the price it is worth. Because we are told that Robusta is low grade compared to Arabica, Well I have news for all the Robusta coffee growers in the country that we now have a market for you" Minister Simon Stated that “ Countries such as Jordan and Italy have a demand for this coffee right now as well as other parts of the world, they need Robusta to blend Arabica. Without Robusta there is no coffee”. He said on his trip to Dubai he was advised that PNG’s Robusta is organic and has a much better premium quality than that of Brazil and Vietnam (The two Biggest Coffee growing countries in the world) The minister said his duty now was to get policy papers in order to go before Cabinet and convince the government to open a  trading partnership with Dubai. Minister Simon has also called on the government to do away with the traditional trade system and address bio security as an effort to increase trade with other countries. "I understand that it is a long way including issues of trade however, We can look at better alternatives on how to get the Market off the ground"  "We need to change from our traditional trading partners and look elswhere. We have been doing business with them for so long. We cannot export coffee and  other Agricultural food to Australia because they have  bio-security issues. Australia has given us Aid after Aid but have not helped us with bio security issues" He said, Dubai has no Bio Security issues and and are ready to market any of PNG's agricultural products to the world.