Australia backs agri plans

AUSTRALIAN Minister for Foreign Affairs and Women Marise Payne says there is enormous potential for growth in PNG’s agricultural exports to Australia.
Payne told The National that Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his government was supportive of Prime Minister James Marape’s ambition in this regard.
Marape had called on the visiting Australian team to appreciate PNG’s need to become economically independent.
Payne, who had a brief meeting with local coffee, cardamom and vanilla growers, said PNG had huge potential.
“When you look at the profile of PNG and I must say I met this morning with an amazing woman who is a coffee grower,” she said. “Her work in coffee growing is to empower and support women and provide economic security and economic empowerment for them.
“The potential is enormous so across a range of products and that will be determined in PNG by your conditions and growing approaches.
“We know that there is a strong existing base of course in a range of other products.
“I think this is the beginning of that conversation with Australia, there will be work on the PNG side, obviously, in terms of skilling workers in agriculture and growing your agricultural profile.
“I look forward to many more visits to PNG where we can develop this conversation.”
Payne said one of the things they discussed at the PNG-Australia Ministerial Forum was the comprehensive and strategic economic partnership which would be accompanied by time frames and be outcomes focused.
“So as we put together by the end of this year I think we will be able to set out a more chronological plan,” she said.