Oil Palm Industry Corporation (OPIC)

The Oil Palm Industry Corporation (OPIC), General Secretary, Kepson Pupita made this announcement during his address at the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) International Smallholders Workshop held in Melaka, Malaysia.

The Papua New Guinea Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP) IV 2023-2027 spearheads this initiative, aimed at fostering sustainable growth and development

Founded in 2015 by Indonesia and Malaysia, the CPOPC is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to promoting the responsible and global use of palm oil.

The review is in line with the Government’s policy to ‘Take Back PNG Through Agriculture’.

Acting General-Secretary, Kepson Pupita said a consultation meeting was held with stakeholders in Kimbe recently to discuss the revised OPIC Act before it goes to Parliament.

Similar meetings will be held in Port Moresby for the Southern region and next week for the Momase region.

Agriculture Minister Benny Allan announced this on Wednesday.

Allan said this when questioned by Talasea MP, Francis Maneke, when an appointment of the Oil Palm Industry Corporation (OPIC) board will be done and if there are plans to review the OPIC Act.

Maneke said oil palm was a major revenue earner for his province and the country however, for years OPIC was without a head.

He asked when this would be done as well as a review of the OPIC Act, which is 42 years old.

Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Tommy Tomscoll, said OPIC belonged to the oil palm growers and will relocate it if necessary.

He was responding to West New Britain Governor, Sasindran Muthuvel, who asked why the OPIC headquarters was in Port Moresby when his province was the largest oil palm producer in the country.

He asked for the headquarters to be relocated to Kimbe so the office can service its true purpose.

Tomscol said this could be done.