PRODUCTION at Higaturu Oil Palm Estate in Oro province has been suspended following the devastation caused by flooding in the province.
And the Rural Industries Council yesterday urged the National Government to heed the call for immediate relief from the Oro provincial government following the devastation by Cylcone Guba last weekend.
The destruction of bridges and roads had cut off the Higaturu Oil Palm Estate and its associated estates from the coast, much of which was laid to waste by the strong winds and high waves.
Rural Industries Council chairman Brown Bai said production at Higaturu Oil Palm Estate had been suspended since last Thursday.
He said the Rural Industries Council was informed yesterday that the company was now concentrating on recovery and getting food to more than 3,500 direct employees as well as to nearby village estates with an estimated combined population of between 13,000 and 15,000 people.
The company yesterday airlifted food and water by helicopter to those people who had been identified as being in immediate need.
Mr Bai said the Rural Industries Council was concerned not only for the company and its employees but also for the long-term recovery of the general population in the area, who primarily rely on oil palm for their income.
Higaturu Oil Palm Estate is owned by CTP Holdings (PNG) Limited, which is a member of the Rural Industries Council through the Palm Oil Producers Association.
Mr Bai said while the primary concern was to get food and water to the population, attention must also be given to the repair, even if temporary, of destroyed bridges and roads to help with relief efforts.
“Long-term assistance will then be needed to fix infrastructure so that work starts as soon as possible to ensure commercial production is returned to normal so that people get back to earning income to support and rebuild their lives,” Mr Bai said.
He commended Higaturu Oil Palm Estate for taking the initiative to start its own relief operations, but added that Higaturu and Oro province needed outside assistance as soon as possible.