Review industry: Basil

NATIONAL Planning and Monitoring Minister Sam Basil says it is time to revive Papua New Guinea’s coconut industry.
Basil urged the 16 leading micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that had enjoyed government support to take the lead with the Kokonas Indastri Koporesen (KIK) to help PNG become “a world leader in organic coconut products”.
Speaking at the Kokonas Indastri Koporesen dinner last Tuesday, he urged SMEs to expand beyond the country’s range of high value coconut products including virgin coconut oil, soaps, cosmetics, deodorants and food products which have been increasing, into the unexplored potential of products like charcoal, beverages and lumber for furniture.