Oil palm big earner for country, says minister

OIL palm is the only commodity to cross the K2 billion mark despite facing challenges over the years, says Oil Palm Minister Francis Maneke.
He announced this at the meeting with smallholder farmers in Northern yesterday.
“I want to thank the current industry players we have in the country,” he said.
“Although this sector did not have regulations or guidelines, they have been managing the sector by keeping up with industry requirements and best practices, and now we can be proud that oil palm is the only commodity to generate over K2 billion in revenue,” Maneke said.
The Nakanai MP said the Oil Palm Industry Corporation (Opic), now under the ministry, was responsible for providing extension services to the smallholders, out-growers and settlers within the precincts of nuclear estates of oil palm growing provinces.
“Opic’s key role is to provide efficient delivery programmes and develop market infrastructure for its smallholders and out-growers,” he said.
“Oil palm is Papua New Guinea’s third major crop with 14 per cent of the annual export values.
Maneke said oil palm plantations and blocks covered a land area of 58,000 hectares (estate 33,000 ha and smallholder 25,000 ha, involving some 7,000 families).
The estates produce 65 per cent of the output and 35 per cent from the smallholders.
“The oil palm industry supports about 4.5 per cent of all rural households and their annual production is at the rate of 12 per cent since 1997.
The overall growth rate of the industry since 1997 has been 15.5 per cent per annum.”
Three major schemes (Hoskins, Bialla in West New Britain and Popondetta in Oro) produce the bulk of the palm oil in the country.
All the schemes operate their own mills producing crude palm oil entirely for export.
Opic was established by an Act of Parliament in 1992 to regulate the oil palm industry in place of the extension services offered by the Department of Agriculture and Livestock.