Agreement made to develop agri-industrial park

Business

A MEMORANDUM of understanding was signed between the Eastern Highlands government (EHPG) and the Livestock Development Corporation (LDC) to develop the Goroka Agri-Industrial Park (Gaip) at Bihute.
According to the MoU, the EHPG would be looking at business opportunities with development partners and investors to roll out its programmes.
The agreement was signed on Friday at the National Park in Goroka before hundreds of farmers and the general public.
The MoU was signed by Governor Peter Numu, Agriculture and Livestock Minister John Simon, Agriculture and Livestock secretary Daniel Kombuk, Eastern Highlands administrator John Gimisive and LDC managing director Terry Koim.
The park will accommodate several ventures: the Goroka Agri-Industrial Centre, Eastern Highlands Holdings Ltd, Rumbia Coffee Ltd, Goroka Mushroom Ltd and Juncao Technology Development Centre.
Gaip is expected to be developed and managed by Nagizah Holdings Ltd (NHL), a joint venture company between EHPG (51 per cent shareholding) and LDC (49 per cent shareholding) on land portion 88 owned by LDC.
LDC will have the land sub-divided, valued and made available to the JV company as part of its equity contribution for development.
Apart from Juncao Technology Development Centre that is under a bilateral sister province relationship between Eastern Highlands and China’s Fujian province, all other business operations outside the Goroka Agri-Industrial Park will enter into normal commercial arrangements with the NHL to carry out their business.
Numu said the park would be a one-stop shop for Eastern Highlands farmers and buyers.
“The agri-industrial park we are signing off for today will have a rice factory, coffee factory, mushroom factory, honey factory, spice factory, and others,” he said.
“We will have a building known as an agri-business centre.”
Numu noted that at the moment, there was no proper coordination among farmers.
“Farmers are working in isolation by themselves,” he said.
“This project will integrate all farmers under one roof, where all products of Eastern Highlands will be on display, for buyers to see.”