Minister calls for partnership

INVESTORS in agriculture should be willing to work with local landowners, says Agriculture and Livestock Minister John Simon.
Simon told Parliament that most of the land in Papua New Guinea was customarily owned.
Therefore, investors should be willing to work with locals.
Simon said the economic zone project would be moved forward.
“But many of the investors who want to come in and take land for themselves to do business on,” he said.
“We need to rectify that.
“I’m sure there is so much land available for agriculture but all is owned by customary landowners.
“So investors (must) work with landowners or under the public-private partnership.”