Trukai: No plans to export rice

Trukai Industries Ltd chief executive officer Greg Worthington-Eyre (right) with Louisa Bill, one of the company’s longest-serving employees, cutting a cake to mark Trukai’s 50th anniversary in Port Moresby on Tuesday.

Trukai Industries has been a great supporter of the annual Morobe Show over many years. Through the Morobe Show, the company shares its knowledge and experience on rice development and cattle and crop research that the company does at its Erap Development Farm.

**One of the major achievements so far is the company’s first and PNG’s largest commercial rice farming that Trukai pioneered in 2018 through its Markham Valley rice project.**

By PETER ESILA
TRUKAI Industries Ltd chief executive Greg Worthington-Eyre says there are no immediate plans to export rice.
Worthington-Eyre said this in Port Moresby on Tuesday during the company’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
He said the world market was about long grain rice, of which, PNG only had a small component.
“A lot of testing and trialing has to go on, and then you got to look at consistency,” he said.
“There is always potential for exporting rice.
“PNG always has a particular desire for certain types of rice.
“The pallet here is very much a medium grain market and medium grain rice is actually grown in certain places around the world including Australia, the United States, Egypt and in the cooler climates of the northern Vietnam region and some of the southern areas of China.
“Long grain is the main market,” Worthington-Eyre said.
“While there is a component here in PNG of long grain, at the moment, where the opportunity for export is about growing different types of rice that are suitable for what is essentially a tropical climate here.”
Worthington-Eyre said Trukai was also looking at different varieties.
“We are looking at different varieties that we can probably do in the Highlands (Baiyer Valley),” he said.
“What that brings we do not know. But ultimately, we will look at all options for domestic consumption and what can be done before any export opportunities down the track.”
Worthington-Eyre said the world market demanded consistency.
“When you go to export – and I think the coffee, cocoa and other industries in PNG face the same issue – your overseas customers require several things: consistent quality, consistent supply and consistent pricing,” he said.
“If you can’t deliver even one of those three, then you lose your competitiveness and your ability to compete in that market.
“So it is a long road but we are part of that journey.”