Round log exports to stop by 2020

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill says there will be a complete ban on round log exports by year 2020 so that we keep the jobs in our country.
In a statement to parliament last week, he said: “We will not be issuing timber permits for round log exports by 2020.
“There will be a complete ban on round log exports by year 2020, so that we keep the jobs in our country.
“We want to get the timber companies to go into downstream processing in our country and the fixed product can be exported overseas.
“That is well in line and there is a good understanding in the industry and Government about how we develop our forestry industry.”
O’Neill said in terms of fisheries, government had introduced a rebate system.
“That is because fishing companies, especially in the tuna industry, have taken all the catches overseas,” he said. “They are not coming onshore to get fuel, or supply or offload the fish on our shores .
“As a result, many of our fish end up in Thailand or the Philippines.
“What we have done is we have done a rebate system.
“But we are now telling every fishing company and every fishing boat that you will pay the full price.
“When you come onshore and unload the fish in PNG waters and factories, we will give you a rebate.
“Despite some initial doubts about that programme, the fishing companies have now realised that this is beneficial to them as well.
“This is more so for our factories that were running at 20 per cent to 30 per cent capacity. They were not running at 100 per cent. I think on
RD Tuna cannery in Madang was running on full capacity but the rest of the tuna factories were not.
“This has now increased production of canned tuna products of fish in our country.”
“As a result, we can export to the European market on favourable terms that we have with the European Union.
“Initiatives like that are starting to produce positive results. We are making headways in terms of our negotiations with the resource companies.
“They are starting to come on board where we have had agreements where we gave them concessions about parking export revenues in overseas accounts.
“Future projects agreements will come under and follow a stricter adherence to that kind of arrangement.”