Prime Minister Peter O’Neill will be in East Sepik to officially launch the first multi-million kina integrated agriculture project within the Sepik Plains Economic Zone this month.
The official launch of the Sepik chicken, grain (stock feed) and cocoa innovative project will be held on July 18 in the Yangoru Saussia District.
The Department of Trade Commerce and Industry is advancing plans to partner the Cocoa Board, the LR Group of Israel and the people of East Sepik Province to develop a large scale Commercial Cocoa Production project within the Sepik Plain Special Economic Zone (SEZ),” local MP and Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry Richard Maru said.
He added that the project at Huaripmo village in East Yangoru will start with an initial investment of K50 million on five thousand hectares of State land.
Also discussion is also being held with a Belgium Chocolate Group to partner in the Sepik Plains SEZ Cocoa initiative.
But a local landowner is claiming that the proposed land for the project is customary land.
“While we are in this process, the Government has bypassed us (landowners) and brought in investors very quickly,” Kennedy Fisause said.
“The Government is claiming that the Agriculture zone is State land which is not correct. The fact is that the Agriculture zone under the name Kanauki has been forcefully taken by the Colonial Government in 1972 intended for the relocation of Yangoru station.”