Yalu dairy project awaiting Cabinet’s approval, says Maru

By LARRY ANDREW
National Planning and Monitoring Minister Richard Maru, pictured, has assured the people of Morobe that they will get their K112 million dairy at Yalu along the Highlands Highway outside Lae.
Work is expected to begin early next year, Maru said.
He said this in Lae on Friday when answering questions from Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu on when work on the dairy would start.
Maru said the Yalu dairy was one of the high-priority projects before Cabinet for approval.
“It will cost investors in the project K112 million to build the second dairy farm in the country at Yalu,” he said.
“I want you, Governor, and the landowners, to be in agreement about shareholder structure.
“We want to make sure the people of Yalu and Morobe government have a big shareholding in the project.
“The Government and Israeli company, Innovative Agro Industry Ltd, are looking at some private sector partners to invest in the Yalu project.”
Maru said the Government wanted the Yalu dairy to be fast-tracked after the opening of Ilimo dairy outside Port Moresby this year.
“I am very excited at the Yalu dairy farm project,” he said.
“We are expecting Cabinet to approve the submission, then we sort out the shareholding. Early next year, I want to see physical work on construction of the Yalu dairy farm start.”
Saonu said there had been much talk about Yalu dairy and wanted a gurantee from Maru that it would go ahead.
“This is one of the developments, together with others, that will lift Morobe’s profile,” he said.
“It’s an important project.”