Oil palm growers warned of impacts

LANDOWNERS of the Memalo integrated project in Pomio, East New Britain, who are set to gain from over 40,000ha of oil palm cultivation before the end of the year, must undergo awareness to deal with post-production environmental impacts.
The warning came from the project’s deputy chairman Joe Talli who said people directly involved in the project were not conducting enough ground work and further alleged that they were fast-tracking gains for their own benefit.
The K5 million project was approved last September by the provincial forestry management committee (PFMC) for the  40,000ha to be cultivated on the first three out of six concessions covering the project.
Talli blamed directors of the Memalo board for not doing enough to inform people about sustainability activities after the project.
He said that some non-governmental organisations and stakeholders had caused confusion and in-fighting among landowner companies on the fair distribution of benefits.
He, however, commended the ENB administration through the lands division, West Pomio-Mamusi LLG and forestry for their collective support toward the lease-lease back agricultural project to become a reality.
Memalo project was finally awarded its status including landowning companies’ title under the lease-lease back concept in 2008.
Talli added that developer Gilford Ltd, a subsidiary of RH Logging Ltd, would begin operations on Pomata, Nakiura and Ralopal along the coastline before the end of the year while Uni Sikite, Uramosi lower plateau and Mosi Ngelu upper plateau, all in the Mamusi area, had yet to begin.
He said that people were not consulted during the time of the sub-lease agreement on the selection criteria of the project developer, especially on oil palm.
Talli called on the three concessions that would begin operations soon to ensure the developer followed the contract of agreement and assisted with awareness.
Memalo land group represents Mengen, Mamusi and Lote clans from the five districts from Melkoi to Central Pomio.