Minister wants rice farming revived, potential realised

AGRICULTURE and Livestock Minister John Simon is determined to revive the rice industry in Papua New Guinea upon seeing the country’s potential to grow the crop.
Simon and delegates including officers from the rice extension unit under the Department of Agriculture and Livestock visited Bereina station in Kairuku-Hiri, Central, to see the area’s potential as well its existing rice industry assets such as a mill and other infrastructure belonging to the department.
“So much revenue is spent on importing rice alone, when we can grow our own rice and invest in sustainability as well as identify pathways to making rice a cash crop for export,” he said.
According to the rice extension units project manager Heai Steven Hoko, the country had the potential to produce up to 200,000 metric tonnes of rice, which was the actual amount of rice being brought into the country and consumed.
Hoko said the quantity of rice in this capacity needed about 30,000 to 40,000 hectares of land.
He said land would not be a hindrance as PNG had enough land to cater for the crop.
The Bereina station, outside of Port Moresby, was once known to be one of the only two local rice producers and suppliers in the country – the other being the Bainyk rice from Maprik, East Sepik.
Simon was impressed with what the locals were doing in terms of farming and small-time businesses through agriculture.
The delegation was led to the old mill where machinery and other equipment were found to be rundown and reportedly had not been in operation for a long time.
Simon said he was concerned at the state of the assets and infrastructure, including housing, which had come about through mismanagement.
He committed K1,000 to a local youth group to clean up the mill area.
Simon said there would be a strategy set to identify pathways which could boost and ensure investment into the growth of the rice industry in the country.
He also noted that a team would be sent to Bereina in the coming weeks to conduct a full scope of the area and identify the best direction to be taken.