In fulfilling the Government's vision of commercializing local indigenous products, Galip nut has been recommend for export across the world.
Secretary for Agriculture, Dr Sergie Beng, who was one of the pioneer scientists who did expounded research on the galip-nut during his time at the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) many years ago said he was honored to be part of the process of the domestication and the commercialization of the galip-nut.
“One of the big key tasks I have in front of me is to expand agricultural commercialization across our country in all the different subsectors.
“And importantly, that as we expand production, we must also process and have a huge amount of factories across our country that must process our products, that we are adding value. And through the downstream processing, we are creating employment for many young people who are looking for work.”
Dr Beng also mentioned that the Frangipani Food Ltd and SOJONA Integrated Sustainable Agriculture & Livelihoods will be used as case studies on which the possibilities of this industry will be measured.
“And when we have established that we are going to expand to other parts of Papua New Guinea where our galip-nut grows, across the lowlands of PNG, the galip-nut has great potential to be a great income earner to the many people across our lowlands of PNG.
“I want to congratulate the FPDA and IFAD under the Market for Village Farmers project that you have taken on board as part of this commercialization of fresh fruit and vegetables and indeed galip nuts in finding markets for village farmers that you have extended into the galip industry in this processing and finding markets.”
He said what the two lead farmers of galip-nut have started progress further that will benefit many rural people.