The Sepik Plains is high on the Government’s priority list.
This is to develop agricultural and farming projects to reduce the country’s reliance on imported food.
National Planning and Monitoring Minister and Yangoru-Saussia MP, Richard Maru, said this when leading a delegation for an aerial view of the proposed site of the chicken and grain project under the Sepik Economic Zone (SEZ).
The delegation included Innovative Agro Industries (IAI) CEO, Lior Crystal, CEO of the PNG Cocoa Board, Kautu Boutua and Australian High Commissioner to PNG, Bruce Davis.
In a media release, Maru said PNG continues to spend K4 billion in food imports each year. He said it doesn’t have to be that way.
“The Government will focus on replacing food imports from here onwards and the Sepik Plains is high on our list of priorities.”
CEO Crystal from IAI promised during the trip their commitment to develop several agricultural and farming projects in the Sepik Plains.
Crystal described the Sepik Plains as a beautiful landmass sitting there waiting for development.
IAI will develop an egg laying farm, broiler meat farm and grain production. The developer will also establish a modern cocoa plantation using Israeli technology that will produce 400 to 500 percent more yield than an average cocoa plantation.
“I am here on behalf of the LR Group, Innovative Agro Industry, stating that we are committed to the development of this land.
“We are not only coming to develop, we are coming as an investor. We are putting our money where our mouth is,” Crystal said.
The project is expected to create thousands of jobs for locals and promote wealth creation and will also consist of a state-of-the-art training facility that will provide training and extension services to all the farmers in the area.
The Government will be a joint venture partner in the projects.
“LR Group is waiting for the Government’s equity contribution of K14 million in the joint venture between the State and the LR Group before work commences. We are going to include that in the Supplementary Budget in the next two weeks,” Maru said.