Agriculture PNG’s backbone

Shadow Treasurer and Finance Minister Ian Ling-Stuckey says the real economic backbone of Papua New Guinea is agriculture.
He said the sector was the main source of livelihood for over 80 per cent of the population.
“Growing food in our gardens or fishing is the way of economic life for the vast majority of our people,” Ling-Stuckey said.
“Cash crop income opportunities from coffee or cocoa or vegetables must be expanded so that we can become the preferred supplier to the supermarkets of Asia. This should be the focus of our national efforts in promoting investment into our country, and using the opportunities created by Apec.
“Unfortunately, these opportunities are being missed by the O’Neill Government.
“Other export sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and potentially more labour mobility income, offer much better opportunities for true export income.
“Such activities can see the benefits reach down to rural communities across the country rather than just around particular mine sites.”
Ling-Stuckey said given the reality that agriculture was in fact the economic backbone of PNG, “the ‘Alternative Government’ would also consider promoting international investment conferences focusing on agriculture and other non-resource sectors of the economy”.
“There is as much expertise in the agriculture sector in Australia as there is for the mining sector,” he said.
“However, the location of such an annual agriculture conferences should alternate between PNG and capital cities throughout the Apec region.
This is how we should be using the opportunities of Apec – getting out and promoting PNG as the preferred supplier to supermarkets across the region.
“We must find niche markets and specialise in those areas where we have a true competitive advantage, rather than hiding behind big walls created by tariff barriers.
“There is much more to gain from exports of organic PNG products than just focusing on rice and dairy farms, which agriculture experts tell us have much lower returns.
“With the vast land mass of PNG and our massive wealth in biodiversity, there is a very bright future for agriculture exports.”