Firm engages maize growers to supply dairy

Ili mo Dairy, operated by agribusiness firm, Innovative Agro Industry PNG (IAI PNG), has been working with the Central Province Government Agriculture to deliver a maize out grower programme in the province.
“We have been working with our partners, the Central Province Government to deliver this important programme by providing training for grower groups and seeds,” Innovative Agro Industry Chairman Ilan
Weiss said.
“We are very happy to receive positive feedback from our first pilot group of growers.”
The maize purchased from local farmers will become part of the feed that is provided to the dairy’s 700-plus herd of Holstein cows.
The dairy began producing a 250ml fresh milk product last month.
The recommended retail price for is K3.30 and it is currently in supermarkets.
Now the nutritional benefits of fresh milk can be enjoyed by more people in the community.
Last month, the dairy sent a representative with Central Province Agriculture
Advisor Kila Gege and his team to inspect progress at a family block of growers at Kuriva along the Hiritano Highway, in the Kairuku Hiri District, Central.
“Working with local communitiesis a big part of who we are as an organisation,”Weiss said.
“Sustainable community engagement requires cooperation and so we stand ready to continue in our support for this provincial government-led drive.”
IAI PNG, the operators of Ilimo Dairy, have been working hard to deliver a dairy industry for Papua New Guinea.
The aim is to reduce pressure on foreign exchange, create more jobs in the primary industries sector and create outgrower opportunities that will enhance food security by transitioning subsistence farmers to cash cropping.
IAI PNG announced during a Department of National Panning and Monitoring summit in Lae last week that plans were currently underway for the development of more “grassto glass” dairy operations in other
parts of the country.
Currently all farming and production takes place onsite at Ilimo Dairy with 110 hectares of maize under cultivation and a state-of-the-art packaging facility able to produce 3000 bottles of milk per hour