District eyes 12,000ha of oil palms

THE Huon Gulf district expects to plant oil palms in Wampar after acquiring 12,000 hectares of land which would have been used for squatter settlements, MP Ross Seymour says.
Seymour said the rate of growth in Lae demands for the expansion towards Situm, east of Lae in Labuta, Nawaeb and along the highway to Nadzab and Wampar.
The socio-economic activities also encourages migration that results in the sprouting of unplanned settlements creating social ills, he said.
“Therefore, the district will plant oil palm on 12,000 hectares that will bring employment opportunities to locals as well benefit government in taxes and shares,” Seymour said.
He also took into consideration the Wawin land owned by the provincial government under the division of agriculture and livestock that can be used for agricultural activities.
Acting provincial administrator Sheila Harou said the Wawin land was one of the three parcels included in the rundown DAL centre at Three-Mile and Erap DAL station was considered for a small-medium entrepreneur incubation training centre.
“There are three interested investors to develop series of agricultural activities and we are surveying all provincial government-owned land for the projects,” Harou said.
Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Richard Maru announced the building of the SME incubation centre in Morobe during the national planning consultative summit last Thursday.
In Wampar, the national government will invest millions into the Yalu dairy farm, SME incubation centre, Lae-Nadzab four lane and urban development, Nadzab city and airport growth.