Photo credit: Loop PNG Bougainville communities will benefit from a new K10 million grant to help 25 Bougainville cocoa cooperatives under the Bougainville Partnership Commodity Support Facility (CSF). The money provided to the Takuina Women's Business Group, according to Noelyn Lasua of the Takuina Women's Business Group, would yield positive outco...

The PNG Forestry Authority has struck a deal with Total Energies to build 10,000 hectares of industrial forest in the Varagadi district of Central Province. Within 20 years, the initiative aims to convert 800,000 hectares of main grasslands in PNG into industrial forest plantations. Goodwill Amos, director of the PNG Forest Research Institute, said ...

Ango Wangatau, head of the National Fisheries Authority, said at the two-day National Tuna Fishing Sector consultation that inclusive government and private partnership investment is needed to strengthen the fisheries industry. In his keynote talk, Mr Wangatau stated that the key to growing and increasing demand in the fishing industry is to be inclusi...

Photo credit: David Shields According to an official, the reopening of the Porgera mine would allow the Enga Women in Agriculture Association (Ewaa) to produce honey and vegetables. Margaret Potane, the president of Ewaa, said the organization's goal was to get women in the province involved in honey production. “Following the signing of the agre...

Improved availability of disease- and pest-resistant crops, as well as nutritious crop types, is helping the ABG Department of Primary Industries boost its food systems. Through the Pacific Regional Integrated Food and Nutrition Security Program to COVID-19 project, this initiative is being carried out in collaboration with the Pacific Community Land R...

Photo: CIC Acting Chief Executive Officer Charles Dambui (seated left) and CEFI Executive Director Saliya Ranasinghe sign the MoU Documents. Witnessing the signing are CIC Company Secretary Wilma Banake (left standing) and CEFI Head Trainer Jill Pijui. The Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Centre o...

As of 2020, no new round log export permits have been awarded to foreign corporations, according to James Marape. He stated in Parliament that round log exports must cease by 2025. PM Marape stated this in response to queries from Hon. Ambunti-Drekikier, the Member of Parliament for Ambunti-Drekikier. Foreign enterprises exporting round logs, accord...

Agriculture and Livestock Minister John Simon believes that coffee and cocoa should be exported through a government organisation. Simon stated the private sector could not continue to export and suppress prices in response to concerns from Pomio MP Elias Kapavore. “I have talked to the department (Agriculture and Livestock) and the commodity boards...

Photo credit: Post Courier  The recently opened Voco Point Coastal Fisheries Hub has the potential to transform PNG's fisheries growth. Fisheries Minister Dr Lino Tom and Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu recently opened the K105 million project in Lae. The National Fisheries Authority (NFA) intends to rebuild its land holdings and properties at Voco ...

According to PNG Forestry Industry Association (PNGFIA) president Bob Tate, the country's logging industry is depressed, with nothing on the horizon in the short term to instil confidence in industry players. According to Tate, the logging business has been hurt by ongoing tax reforms as well as a drop in market demand. He claimed the sector was curren...

Photo credit: Slofoodgroup In terms of production volume, vanilla is the most popular spice in the country, with 520,000 kg produced annually. In terms of market trends, the price of vanilla would rise by 5% in the next five years, according to PNG Spice Industry Board chief executive officer Nelson Simbiken. “In terms of production and volume, v...

According to Spice Sector Board Chief Executive Officer Nelson Simbiken, the country's spice industry has exported K1.3 billion worth of products in the last four years. According to Simbiken, K400 million worth of items were shipped in 2021, much above the norm of over K300 million. “From 2019 to now, revenue from export we have from Customs and Na...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and ECOM Agroindustrial Corp. Limited (ECOM) signed a loan of up to $60 million to help sustain the livelihoods of smallholder farmers amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and improve their ability to withstand the impacts of climate change. The loan will support ECOM’s continued operations in India, Indones...

The K140 million 12-story West New Britain Haus in Port Moresby, according to James Marape, demonstrates that agriculture is "transformational." He remarked this as he unveiled the West New Britain people's landmark emblem, which was supported by the province's lucrative oil palm sector. The Department of Justice and Attorney-General, as well as all...

Photo credit: The Christensen Fund - Markham Valley Agriculture development in the Markham and Ramu valleys of Papua New Guinea's Morobe Province, according to the International Finance Corporation, might result in significant economic advantages. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), which is part of the World Bank Group, has teamed together...

The government intended to implement downstream processing, according to Forestry Minister Walter Schnaubelt, with an emphasis on boosting forestry and plantation. Schnaubelt recently stated in West New Britain that as part of the government's plan to reclaim the forestry sector, investors would only be awarded 50% of export licences. “The new permi...