MP: Road vital to oil palm industry

ROAD development is vital to increase revenue from the billion kina oil palm industry, according to West New Britain Governor Sasindran Muthuvel.
Muthuvel, pictured, told The National last week that more revenue could be generated by investing in infrastructure to enhance the oil palm industry in the province and the country.
“The country receives over K1.5 billion (from the industry) and it is green gold and renewable and comes from the hard work of our people,” Muthuvel said.
“This is the industry that the Government has to support because it is generating income.
“It is not just about West New Britain province but because it is leading in the industry and contributes to the national purse.
“By simply investing K60 million in oil palm roads, the Government will get an additional tax revenue of maybe an additional K20 to K30 million a year.
“This will improve the efficiencies of collecting fruits and enable the people to use the road too.
“Because if you collect fruits at the door step of a farmer, the current price is K284.
“But if you go and drop it at the mill gate, you add another K60 for transport.
“So people can make additional K60 if the road is good.
“So the people can invest in a truck through Government help instead of relying on company transport. It is also risky to depend on company transport because if the road condition is good they come to pick and if not they don’t the fruit will go to waste.”