Rubber Act under review to improve industry

THE Papua New Guinea Rubber Industry Board is reviewing the PNG Rubber Act 1953 to ensure it captures the industry as a whole, according to chairman Josephine Kenni.
Kenni told participants at an agriculture validation stakeholder workshop held in Port Moresby on Friday that after the board was sworn in, the act was now being reviewed.
“We want to revive our old plantations and nurseries but the 1953 Rubber Act does not connect us to the nurseries, it only connects our rubber inspector.
“This does not give us a lot of teeth to bite.
“But now with the new act coming in, which people have already written that act and is now in circulation for comments and it will come back to us.
“It has already gone to its first reading. So the work is in progress,” Kenni said.
She said rubber could be a major commodity for the country rather than its current status as a small crop.
Kenni said it had embarked on a short-term and long-term vision to strategically revive the industry and making it an effective revenue earner for PNG.
She said they were creating a data base for the industry, audits were being conducted in several provinces including Cape Rodney in Central.
Kenni also noted that the board was looking at signing bilateral agreements with China, open transport links with other Asian nations like Indonesia and a master plan to strengthen the industry and win global markets.
She added that cup lump export had declined over the past three years (2017-2019).