Rice has potential abroad but industry needs aid: Officer

By PETER ESILA
PAPUA New Guinea has the potential to export rice in the long run but the local industry needs support, an official says.
Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) rice extension unit programme manager Heai Hoko said currently, only Trukai Industries exported rice to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
He said while PNG-grown rice was not exported, Trukai imported rice milled and packaged it and exported to Pacific Island neighbours like the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
Hoko said PNG had the potential to grow and export rice to Asian markets such as Indonesia, the Philippines and even China.
He said the high populations of the countries meant that there would always be a demand for food that local production could not meet.
“Indonesia has about 270 million people, they still need more to feed their people, cattle, beef and rice,” he said.
“Even though they are a rice growing country, they still have a need to feed their people, either they get it domestically or from outside.”
Hoko said the aim of the fledging rice industry would initially be for domestic consumption but opportunities for export could be considered.
He said the Sepik plains was one area in PNG that DAL was looking to could develop a rice industry on with the potential to export to rice from either Wewak or Vanimo directly to Indonesia, the Philippines and China as well.
He said the major players in the domestic market were Trukai Industries (Trukai Rice), Goodman Fielder (Skel Rice) and Homestate Co-operative (Star Rice).