Authority will ensure oil plam industry is regulated: Official

The National Business

A PROPOSED Papua New Guinea Oil Palm Industry Authority (PNGOPIA) will ensure the billion-kina industry is properly regulated, an official says.
Oil Palm Industry Corporation (Opic) general secretary Kepson Pupita said the PNGOPIA would be established once the Opic Act (1992) was reviewed.
“PNGOPIA will be a statutory authority established under the law as an independent entity responsible for regulating the oil palm industry,” he said.
Pupita said the authority’s main objectives would be to promote development of the industry; regulatation and improvement; research and development; develop national objectives, policies and priorities for the administration of the industry.
“All the current levies will be forgone and a single levy, covering all aspects of regulations and services, will be introduced under the new law between three per cent and eight per cent on export sales revenue of crude palm oil.”
He said among PNGOPIA’s functions would be to:

  • IMPLEMENT policies and development to ensure the viability of the industry;
  • CARRY out regulatory and licensing functions in line with international standards;
  • PROMOTE oil palm development business by conducting research and development activities related to planting, production, harvesting, extraction, processing, storage, transportation, use, consumption and marketing of oil palm and its products;
  • PROMOTE and encourage increase in productivity by efficient provision of extension services and training programmes to smallholders;
  • PROVIDE technical, advisory and consultancy services to the industry;
  • DEVELOP and maintain markets for oil palm products;
  • PROMOTE, control and monitor measures to attaining high quality products; and,
  • LIAISE and coordinate with other agencies to address issues within the industry and to be the industry’s resource and information centre.