Ramu to produce 21,000 tonnes of crude palm oil

RAMU Agro-Industry Ltd (RAIL) is poised to produce more than 21,000 tonnes of crude palm oil, a little over last year’s production from its oil palm plantation at the Gusap Valley.
The projected volume of crude oil will be the highest in its two years of operation since 2009 when New Britain Palm Oil (NBPOL) acquired Ramu Sugar Ltd and began expanding its oil palm industry.
Outgoing head of Ramu Oil Palm Joe Castle said oil palm had done extremely well rapidly expanded in the last two years.
“Last year, we produced 20,000 tonnes of crude palm oil and exported to Europe,” Castle told The National in Gusap, Ramu, last week.
Castle, who will take up a new position as oil palm inspector based in Kimbe where the NBPOL is located said, it would take 12-14 months for a palm fruit to be ready for harvest.
The current size for Ramu oil palm (ROP) is 10,500ha of oil palm with 6,000ha matured and ready to harvest while 4,500ha under development.
Castle was proud to say that ROP employed more than 2,000 workers of which 25% were from Madang and 13% were from Morobe while rest was made up of mostly people from the highlands.
Castle said ROP had signed a lease-lease back agreement with customary landowners for its expansion programme.