Sector sees potential growth from Apec

The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders’ Summit in November and related officials meetings is an opportunity for further investment in the agriculture sector.
Papua New Guinea will host Apec in 2018 and this provides the opportunity for developers to come in and invest in potential agricultural  projects such as livestock, vegetable farming, aquaculture, coffee, cocoa, rubber, spices, oil palm and others.
Key priorities for Apec in 2018 are inclusive and sustainable resource development focusing on resource sectors, including forestry, agriculture, fisheries, mining and other extractive industries and tourism, and
promoting Micro Small Medium Enterprises in the value chain.
Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, Dr Vele Pat Ila’ava, made the comments during a field visit to an agriculture project in the Rigo District of Central, early this month.
Ila’ava said due to Apec being hosted in PNG, there would be more interest by potential investors in PNG’s agriculture opportunities.
“We should be ready and prepared to welcome them.”
Ila’ava and a team of officials visited the project site at Deugolo, along the Magi Highway, about 45km east of Port Moresby, to check out possible agricultural projects that visiting
Apec leaders and their delegates can visit during Apec meetings.
The project at Deugolo, owned by local businessman and lawyer, Turai Elemi, comprises of a piggery and vegetable farm.
He has plans to expand into other agricultural farming activities including inland fish farming and is working on an agriculture project expansion plan.
“The PNG Apec Authority and Department of Agriculture and Livestock are looking for possible sites to showcase current agriculture activities with the potential for further agriculture development.
“You have a very good set up here, it’s close to Port Moresby city, you have abundant land for agriculture development, plenty of readily available manpower and we just have to improve on it for APEC.
“The DAL has identified few possible projects in Central to showcase for interested APEC delegates to visit.
“The DAL is also liaising with Cocoa Board in Kokopo and the Coffee Industry Corporation in Goroka for projects for Apec delegates to visit.
“We want the Apec delegates to come and see the agricultural projects we have and the potential of further development with the support and involvement of investors from around the world.
“Hosting Apec provides an excellent opportunity for PNG to showcase our vast untapped agriculture potential.
“We expect that investors in the various Apec delegations will be interested and willing to invest in the agriculture sector,” Ila’ava said.
“Now the Government focus is on the agriculture sector to grow and drive our economy, the Apec meeting in PNG in 2018 was timely.
“We must prepare and organise ourselves so that we can be able to capture the opportunities coming out of Apec to grow the agriculture sector and in doing so, grow the, economy.”
Ila’ava and his team, including  Livestock Development Corporation’s general manager, Vegofi Geani, and DAL’s director for the Southern Region, Leka Mou, were impressed with Elemi’s setup and agreed to work on the project proposal to recommend the piggery farm to be showcased to visiting Apec delegates.
Elemi was excited with the visit by the high profile DAL team and assured them that he will work closely in preparing his site for the official visits.
He told the team that through his project he has created employment opportunities for the local community and supported many people and groups.
“I am very honoured and I look forward to working with DAL in preparing and expanding the project for Apec.
“The coastal zone is a drought prone area so I have personally invested in agriculture to support food security knowing it is the backbone of this nation and with DAL’s help will certainly boost production and productivity in time to showcase Central and PNG as a whole to them Apec delegates.”