Opic plans new nursery – The National

**Oil palm fruits in Kimbe, West New Britain. – Picture supplied/Nationalfilepic**

THE Oil Palm Industry Corporation (Opic) is expected to set up a 2,000-hectare oil palm nursery project in the Markham plains, Morobe, an official says.
Opic general secretary Kepson Pupita said the nursery would cost K6.15 million and had the potential to raise 240,000 palm trees.
Pupita visited Mampin village in Umi-Atzera local level government last Sunday and met with Morobe provincial administrator Bart Ipambonj and landowner leaders.
It is also in line with the vision of the Marape Government to economically empower people in rural areas of the country.
Markham villagers have been waiting for more than 10 years for smallholder oil palm to take off in the valley following a launching by former prime minister Peter O’Neill.
During this time, oil palm giant New Britain Palm Oil Ltd , took up large portions of land in the valley to grow oil palm.
Pupita said Opic would send two officers this week to be based permanently at Mutzing government station to get the industry up and running.
Following the meeting, Pupita, Ipambonj and landowner leaders visited the proposed site of the Opic office at Mutzing, nursery and accommodation sites at Umi, and a successful village oil palm (VOP) project at Dabwa bordering Madang and Eastern Highlands.
Dabwa will be the model on which to build the Markham smallholder oil palm industry.
Pupita described Markham as the “new frontier” which had the potential to rival West New Britain, New Ireland, Northern and Milne Bay as a major producer in the oil palm industry.
“Based on current market prices, this project has the potential to generate around K20.7 million to K27.6 million through the sale of fresh fruit bunch per year,” he
said.
“In respect to export earnings, we have potential to bring in K36 million to K40 million into the country. This money will go straight into the pockets of the local villagers engaged in oil palm cultivation.”
Pupita said Opic had asked the Morobe government to fund the 2,000ha nursery project while it would provide the technical expertise.