Prime Minister James Marape strongly believes that the greatest potential to unlock the wealth of Papua New Guinea lies in the agriculture sector.
Marape said this when he officially opened a one week workshop on OIE Performance Veterinary Gap Analysis Mission, hosted by the PNG National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority in Port Moresby on Monday.
PNG’s potential lies in selling livestock and organic food to the Asian Market as well as the world.
Marape said his aim is for PNG to be known as an organic food hub for the Pacific and the rest of the world.
He urged Papua New Guineans to put on their thinking cap and change the way they have been doing business in the last 44 years.
He also urged people to shift their thinking away from just focusing on oil and gas and mining, which are heavily dependent on global pricing and focus into diversifying into agriculture and livestock.
Marape went on to assure visiting experts and partners that Papua New Guinea now has a Government that is geared towards ensuring that PNG food security and standards are internationally compatible so it can start marketing overseas.