Wong looking at downstream processing in East New Britain

The National Business

By MICHAEL PHILIP
EAST New Britain (ENB) generates K2 billion in agriculture and other natural resource products that can be converted into downstream products, Gazelle MP says .
“The free trade zone (FTZ) concept will then enable high export earnings and job opportunities,” he added.
At the launch of the Gazelle Agro Industrial Special Economic Zone Project in Kerevat last week, Wong said that by adding value to raw materials and downstream products through the FTZ concept would result in higher export earnings and job opportunities.
“The economy has remained stagnant for over 20 years,” he said.
“And this is a new way to stimulate economic growth for the province, region and country.This must happen now.”
Wong said volcanic eruptions and the cocoa pod borer had affected agriculture production, but the introduction of alternative crops such as coffee, oil palm, balsa and food crops was a blessing in disguise.
He said the economy needed a new mindset to stimulate for the future of the province and free trade was the way forward to revive the economy.
Meanwhile, Wong said a few agricultural projects had been initiated for the province.
The projects include:

  • VANILLA mill factory for ENB that was still under construction in Lasul Bay scheduled to be completed and commissioned next month;
  • CHOCOLATE factory in Oiscar, palm oil processing mill in Vunapalading, poultry and pig projects under the Gazelle district business corporation; and,
  • COFFEE processing mill at Kabakaul in Kokopo and oil palm processing facilities in Masarau in Pomio.

Wong said with the same climatic factors available and a strategic policy, “it is the right time to venture into much higher levels for the provincial economy”.