Tommy Tomscoll

This was just one of the many questions raised after Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Tommy Tomscoll, said the importation of these uncooked, frozen poultry products was allowed after a careful and comprehensive risk assessment process.

The Minister, in a paid advertisement, said the assessment started in 2006, “when the importer first requested market access for chicken meat from Malaysia”.

If that is so, then why is the Poultry Industry of PNG set against these frozen imports?

Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Tommy Tomscoll, said: “The importation was allowed after a careful and comprehensive risk assessment process, which actually started in 2006 when the importer first requested market access chicken meat from Malaysia.

“NAQIA is the only mandated Government biosecurity authority and is mindful of the current animal health status of PNG and makes every effort to maintain that status, albeit with limited government support.

Member for Maprik, John Simon, asked Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Tommy Tomscoll in Parliament on Thursday of the whereabouts of a thousand cattle heads that were supposed to go to Wewak.

He said the previous Government had purchased just over 4,000 cattle heads from Markham in Morobe Province, which were supposed to be sent to several province, including East Sepik.

“Can the minister tell us where those cattle are?” asked Simon.

The Member asked as well the position of the LDC and what the entity was doing.

He said the LDC was an important organisation and was the main driver behind the livestock industry which was a major activity for the country.

“Disla livestock development koporesen em stap we? Na em gat wanem kyn position blo em stap. Inap u tok na disla kantri I harim ah? Bikos livestock em bikpla indastri lo displa kantri na mi wokim abattoir  natin na sting lo Kerowaghi stap,” Dangma said.

The 365ha land at Menifo, about 20 minutes’ drive from Goroka, is expected to be developed to become a fully-fledged Agri-Business Training Facility for Small Medium Enterprises as well as promote and conduct research, innovations, farming enterprises and training purposes.

A Memorandum of Understanding is in place between DAL and UOG since 2012.

On March 15, 2017, Acting Secretary of Lands & Physical Planning, Terry Wanga gave the approval for the Reservation Right to be relinquished to UOG from DAL based on the MoU.

He said OPIC has been inactive for the last two years and urged Tomscoll to intervene and bring in the much needed restructure change in the organization and speed up the appointment of the general secretary.

Muthuvel also pointed out that the government has focused on coffee and other cash crops even though Oil palm brings in about K1.6b in revenue to the government coffers every year.

Agriculture and Livestock Minister Tommy Tomscoll said this during the authority’s three-day consultation meeting with government stakeholders about the proposed Biosecurity Bill.

The cost of goods and services are high and NAQIA has to be responsible by playing their part so that the organisation not only modernises but must become effective, efficient, in control and must be feared by the people of Papua New Guinea.  

Tomscoll was giving the keynote address at the consultation meet, which started today, will continue tomorrow (April 19) and on Thursday (April 21).

This was a challenge to the UPNG school of Business Administration graduants by the Minister for Agriculture and Livestock  Tommy Tomscoll during the UPNG 61st graduation ceremony.

The Minister urged the graduants to be successful and responsible in life after leaving the campus.

"Papua New Guinea is your country and your future lies in Papua New Guinea and what then is your responsibilities to PNG?"

The unstable world market price, compounded with declining prices of crude oil and liquefied natural gas are the main factors in government forcasted revenues falling.

Agriculture Minister, Tommy Tomscoll said, "PNG must move quickly back to its traditional renewable export sector.

But in the long term, it is important to diversify export dependence so that the underlying economy is pinned by a strong mixture of diversified exports and strong foreign direct investment.

Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Tommy Tomscoll reveal this to participants of the ‘2016 Agriculture Leaders’ Summit’ this morning in Port Moresby.

“Agriculture contributes 27 percent of GDP which in Kina currency is just over K2.5 billion towards the budget of PNG.

“But the level of annual investment put back directly into the agriculture sector in real terms is less than K150 million annually.