Company assures smallholders of smooth operation during SOE

HARGY Oil Palms Ltd (HOPL) in West New Britain has assured smallholder farmers in the province as well as neighbouring East New Britain that it will continue to do gate pick-ups during the Covid-19 state of emergency.
HOPL chief executive and director Ian Winstanley said with 42 per cent of its oil palm fruits being sourced from smallholder farmers, the company also applied the Covid-19 preventative measures in its operations.
“Our mills will operate as normal and aside from situational adjustments to shipping schedules,” he said.
“It is expected that export shipping of our vegetable oil products will continue.
“As much as possible, and with situational adjustments, it is the intent of HOPL to continue normal operations for as long as possible through these extremely challenging times.”
Winstanley said while the company could not eliminate all risks, it was strongly advocating health and hygiene practices such as washing hands, social distancing and covering the mouth when coughing.
He said HOPL was committed to supporting the national, provincial and local governments in their efforts to stop the coronavirus from entering and spreading within PNG, particularly WNB and ENB which the company operated in.
HOPL is an oil palm company which has been operating in the country for 42 years.
“Hargy produces both crude palm oil (CPO) and kernel palm oil (CPKO) from a production base of 3,647 smallholder farmers who operate over 14,552 hectares, while within company estates, HOPL directly employs just under 5,000 people who operate over 13,707 hectares,” he said.
Winstanley said overall, there were 60,000 people who were heavily reliant on the company.