Cut K2bil spent on food imports: PM

THE country spends around K2 billion a year importing food some of which can be grown here, says Prime Minister James Marape.
“Agriculture will be our major export revenue earner and will replace food imports,” he said.
“At the moment, we are spending more than K2 billion on food imports alone, which is not good enough for a country with massive land which can be used for agriculture.”
Marape said the Government’s two major focuses were internal security and growing the economy
“More control of the prevailing law and order situation will lead to increased business, especially in agriculture, to bring down the country’s huge food import bill,” he said.
“I’m very strong in my push for development of our sustainable natural resources like agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
“We want to ramp up production in these sectors and get more of our people, 80 per cent of whom are involved with land and sea, to migrate from subsistent into the cash economy.”
Marape said the Government had already in place price support and freight subsidy mechanisms for agriculture.
It also has partnerships with major banks and lending agencies to support small-medium enterprises.
Marape is also expecting to see more benefits to the country from the extractive industries,
“We will be working to ensure that Porgera mine reopens at the earliest,” he said.
“Papua and P’nyang LNG projects are both progressing well, and should soon move into Final Investment Decision, with construction to run from 2023 to 2032.
“We also will be working to ensure that Wafi-Golpu, Pasca, Pandora, Frieda River and various other projects progress.”