Smallholder growers must also benefit, says Maneke

OIL Palm Minister Francis Maneke says smallholder growers must also benefit more from the industry that generates K1 billion to K2 billion in revenue annually.
Maneke, in a meeting with members of the Palm Oil Producers Association (Popa), the milling companies, said they must work together to grow the industry.
He said the industry had been stagnant for 40 years and now was the time for growth.
The industry’s export revenue in 2019 was K918 million, in 2020 K1.323 billion and K2.69 billion in 2021.
Oil palm remains the leading agricultural commodity.
“I am excited to partner with our very important stakeholders, the milling companies in PNG, members of the Palm Oil Producers Association and all other agencies,” he said.
“We must look at the interests of our growers and maximise it either in terms of the money they receive or the infrastructures they have on their project areas or provinces.
“The intention of the Government is to rehabilitate or maintain what is already here in terms of smallholders.
“People have been talking about oil and gas and mining projects, but I think the green gold can do better.”
Maneke said sustainable and industry best practices was important.
“I am proud to say that Sime Darby (NBPOL’s parent company), is already here and the other companies, we ensure that we sustain the best practices, because that is the way forward.
“We work together, if it means we insert clauses to the legislations, the structure as it is long overdue that is why it affects the industry, negligence in the part of the Government is now resulting in deterioration in the infrastructures in the smallholder developments and as experienced in Hoskins and Bialla and Popondetta.”