​Modern Trukai rice mill nears completion

​Trukai Industries’ long-term plans for a sustainable commercial rice industry in PNG have taken a leap forward as a new state-of-the-art paddy rice mill in Lae nears completion.

With the Trukai Industries rice mill maintenance team working alongside Vietnamese industrial & agricultural machinery company, Bui Van Ngo, installation of the Paddy Rice Mill is now in full swing, with expected completion before the end of September.

In recent months, the rice mill maintenance team has been preparing the area for construction, including upgrading services, installing infeed equipment, ensuring good manufacturing practice standards, organising the fumigation area and refurbishing office space for the new rice mill.

The mill has a maximum production capacity of an incredible 240 ton per week, though output will be limited by how much rice can be grown at this stage.

Trukai has laid down their blueprint to grow the local rice farming industry exponentially over the next decade and beyond.

Trukai Industries general manager for agriculture, Jarrod Pirie, said the new rice mill was another foundation being laid to establish a genuine local rice industry.

“The mill is being developed to be future-ready for when local farmers are producing rice at a greater rate than at present, which will happen,” he said.

“Year-on-year that growth is being displayed on the ground through the industry’s investment in technology and training with local farmers,” Pirie added.

Author: 
Carolyn Ure