Tapioka project started in Rigo
By MATROM JOHN
WORK is underway at Bore village in Rigo district of Central province for a cassava bio-fuel project estimated to cost up to a US$80-K100 million.
The cassava nucleus estate covers an area of about 20,000 hectares of which 100 hectares are allocated for the nursery site.
There are about 55 local labourers employed to plough the land and plant nine different varieties of cassava with the technical assistance from National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI).
In February this year the project developer Changhae Tapioka (PNG) Limited and a delegation of representatives from the National Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL), Central Provincial Government and the media visited the project site at Bore to witness the start of work.
Speaking at the site, Chairman of the cassava bio-fuel project committee and DAL Deputy Secretary Vele Kagena said the NARI officers are on site to plant the first varieties of cassava seedlings in the nursery.
He said there would be multiplication of plots and later distribution of cassava stems to the site for planting.
Mr Kagena said the whole project was initially thought to be US$28 million but it is now estimated to cost up to a US$80-K100 million.
He said the National Government had supported this project by allocating K1.2 million with additional funds to come later this year.
The Rigo villages that have allocated lands for this project are Bigairuka, Bore, Matairuka, Saroa Keina, Imuagoro and Nuirukai.
Mr Kagena said it should take about six to nine months before the nucleus estate is completed and Central province should have the first commercial cassava project.
Central Provincial Administrator Raphael Yibmaramba said the day marked the beginning of life for the Rigo people in terms of having money in their pockets.
He urged the people to look after the investor and the project, to have ownership and be proud of it because the project is established on their very land.
Meanwhile, Changhae Tapioka (PNG) Limited Chief Executive Officer John Lim said the site visit was organized to show case the collaborate efforts by the PNG Government and developer to begin the first phase of commercializing the cultivation of cassava.
Mr Lim said the DAL with technical advice from NARI and visiting cassava expert source by Changhae, will plant nine cassava varieties from NARIķs Laloki location trial plot in the nursery.
He said from the nursery work on replication and multiplication of the nine selected variety will then be transfer to the company estate at Bore and also be distributed to the surrounding areas for out grower and smallholder plantings.
He said facilities and infrastructure is being constructed at Bore and administration and technical staff will soon take up various positions to implement the project.
Mr Lim said in the second phase of the project, an ethanol plant will be established adjacent to the nucleus plantation and the dry chips will be processed locally into ethanol for exported.
The total capital invested in the project will be in billions of kina once all phases of the project have been implemented, Mr Lim said adding that there will be employment for the local people and farmers throughout PNG will have income generated from international markets through Changhae for their cassava products.
ģIt is a true winning situation for all the stakeholders whereby the comparative advantages of PNG in agriculture, combined with the government support and the technical, managerial and marketing strengths of Changhae will potentially give birth to a new pioneering industry in the country and may one day see PNG become a major player in the bio-fuel arena in the region,ī Mr Lim said.
There is already growing interest from other provinces to promote the commercial cultivation of cassava, he said adding that provinces such as New Ireland, Madang, Western, East and West Sepik and Western Highlands, have requested technical and advisory support to assess the feasibility of growing cassava commercially in those provinces.
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