Potential for vegetable production in mid altitudes of New Britain

NARI staff harvesting potatoes at Wildog, Sinivit LLG in East New Britain

A Wildog Mine field worker showing off potatoes harvested at Wildog, Sinivit LLG in East New Britain .-Pictures by NARI Keravat

By SELWYN HARIKI of NARI

Introduced vegetables like potato, broccoli, carrot and cauliflower are important food and cash crops in the highlands of PNG.
The cool climate in the higher altitude and central highlands allow for the cultivation of these crops by farmers.
The demand for these vegetables in the lowlands, particularly the New Guinea Islands region, is high presently.
Together with transportation costs, the prices are relatively high in most supermarkets. Andersons Foodland in Kokopo, East New Britain province (ENBP), sells its potato, broccoli, carrot and cauliflowers produces at prices ranging from K4 to K7 a kilogram. Papindo is selling cauliflower at K6.40/kg, broccoli at K8.80/kg, and carrots at K4/kg. Most of these products are transported in from the highlands of mainland PNG.
However these crops can also be grown in the mid-altitude areas of PNG’s Islands provinces, ranging from 300 metres above sea level and higher.
Preliminary research by NARI in 2006 has proven that potato, broccoli, carrot and cauliflower varieties can be produced in the region.
These crops did well in the study, giving yields of 5-8 tones per hectare.
These are short-term crops which take three to four months to mature and are highly nutritious.
However they are hardly found in everyday meals of people or in the local markets.
With the current demand for potatoes and other introduced vegetables and the opportunity for their production in the mid-altitude areas of the islands provinces, NARI is currently carrying out more research work on these crops in the region for further development.
More information can be sought through NARI Islands regional centre at Keravat, ENBP.

Merry Christmas to one and all

A Very Merry Christmas to followers of this blog from all over the world, and thank you for your unwavering support, which has seen this blog be named by the Papua New Guinea Media Council as the '2009 Papua New Guinea Blog of the Year'.
Also yesterday, the number of visitors to this blog soared past the 100,000 mark since I installed a counter in July 2008.
On behalf of my four young children, I wish one and all a Blessed and Very Merry Christmas.
You can contact me on email malumnalu@gmail.com.

GOVERNMENT OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA SIGNS INTEROIL'S LNG PROJECT AGREEMENT

GOVERNMENT OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO TAKE 22.5%

 

InterOil Corporation (NYSE: IOC) (POMSoX: IOC) yesterday announced that the PNG National Government has signed the Company’s Project Agreement for the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Papua New Guinea.

Following approval of the Project Agreement by the National Executive Council on December 10, the Minister for Petroleum Hon William Duma and acting Governor-General Dr Allan Marat signed the Agreement securing PNG’s second LNG project.

The signing was witnessed by the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare.

The Agreement sets fiscal terms for a twenty year period, which include a 30% company tax rate and certain exemptions applicable to large scale projects of this nature.

 It also provides for a 20.5% ownership stake to be held by the Government of Papua New Guinea’s nominee, Petromin PNG Holdings Limited.

A further 2% ownership stake will be taken by landowners directly affected by the plant.

As previously announced, the proposed LNG project would be developed by InterOil and its joint venture partners Pacific LNG Operations Ltd. and Petromin PNG Holdings Limited. The project targets a $5 to $7 billion LNG facility, with multiple trains.

Additionally, the Agreement provides for the expansion of the plant up to 10.6 million tons per annum (mmtpa).

While current plans call for first production of LNG towards the end of 2014 or beginning of 2015, InterOil is progressing a proposed liquids stripping plant, to be located in Gulf Province, in late 2011/early 2012, which would provide an attractive revenue stream prior to the commissioning of the LNG plant.

Sir Michael Somare, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, stated, “The government of Papua New Guinea, through its long standing partnership with InterOil, has secured an ownership stake across the entire value chain from wellhead to LNG offtake in a world class energy development project that will significantly contribute to national prosperity and fiscal security for many years to come.

“The national equity interest, to be held by the state’s nominee Petromin PNG Holdings Limited, aligns the Country’s economic interests with its partners and provides strategic assets for national security.”

Phil Mulacek, Chief Executive Officer of InterOil, commented, “The Government of Papua New Guinea has firmly demonstrated its commitment to delivering a stable, long-term supply of energy to a growing Asian market.

“The recent agreements set the stage for PNG to become a significant new Asian

energy hub.”

 

About InterOil

InterOil Corporation is developing a vertically integrated energy business whose primary focus is Papua New Guinea and the surrounding region. InterOil’s assets consist of petroleum licenses covering about 3.9 million acres, an oil refinery, and retail and commercial distribution facilities, all located in Papua New Guinea. In addition, InterOil is a shareholder in a joint venture established to construct an LNG plant on a site adjacent to InterOil’s refinery in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. InterOil’s common shares trade on the NYSE in US dollars.

About Petromin PNG Holdings Limited

PNG Holdings Limited is an independent company created by the State of Papua New Guinea to hold the State's assets and to maximise indigenous ownership and revenue gains in the mineral and petroleum sectors. It is empowered as the vehicle to better leverage the State's equity holdings and encourage more production and downstream processing of oil, gas and minerals in PNG through proactive investment strategies either wholly or in partnership with resource developers. Petromin provides real opportunity for Papua New Guineans to increase ownership of their resources in mineral & petroleum assets.

Copenhagen a big waste of money for PNG

BY REGINALD RENAGI

THE DAILY news is very discouraging to the people of PNG. They hope for a better future for their children and grand children one day. But that one day is a long way off.
There are many problems affecting their livelihood and want the government to address their immediate needs. But the mass media hype in recent months is mostly about the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen and what we will tell other world leaders.
It’s no big deal. Everyone's being hoodwinked - ordinary people that is, but not intelligent PNGeans. It is one big cop out by the people running this country.
We have many important national priorities to address. Lately, however, these are being constantly overshadowed by a smokescreen of public statements about the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (or REDD) scheme, a global plan to slow down or eliminate the deforestation responsible for 20 percent of global emissions., as if it is the only viable policy option available.
REDD is only one aspect of a complex global phenomenon. PNG's delegation in Denmark seemed to have no real fall-back position if REDD was not acceptable to the world's developed nations who are the biggest biggest polluters.
In the past two weeks, critics have accused the PNG delegation of not being fully prepared for this conference. They are right.
The PM and his men forgot what is the position of our parliament and Opposition. We should have included the opposition’s stance on climate change to come up with a good bipartisan paper for Copenhagen.
We also did not need a big delegation of over 40 when half a dozen people should have been sufficient. It was morally wrong for the government to extravagantly burn several millions for this conference.
Considering the alleged eight million Kina for this conference, PNG has nothing beneficial to show for it.
The public should by now be in an uproar over their government’s spending millions for some greedy people to attend a conference that will not even reach any viable agreement. This is a total waste of money.
The people could have used this money in many needy areas. Our women have been crying out for a cancer machine for years. Teachers and nurses need a pay rise to meet the rising cost of living. PNG’s national security situation is appalling and needs much improvement.
With a tough year about to end, the people could do with some spare money now to enjoy a nice Christmas roast in this festive season.
Come on, Papua New Guineans, can’t you see they are laughing at our expense? Let us get rid of these greedy people in 2012.

Why can't I get a job?

Something you may not have seen recently.....

From PAUL OATES boonah.vista1@bigpond.com

Playing hide & seek with a Polar Bear -

Next time, get in the truck, stupid!

Good Thoughts & Dreams For A Better PNG

Hello Malum,

 

I have been reading your blogspot a lot and find the articles very interesting and also excellent pictures of PNG. You are a great journalist and I send this email for your valuable input and thoughts about the idea of raising awareness amongst the general community through word of mouth and usage of regular media sources to promote good habits, attitudes and values.  

 

Another year is shortly coming to a close and a new year soon to begin and instead of the usual "New Year Resolutions" that most of us (rarely) achieve e.g. quit smoking, quit binge drinking, stop chewing buai, lose weight or save some money, let us look forward to fulfilling dreams that we all wish to chase to improve our lives...

 

I believe we all have good thoughts in our dreams to see beautiful PNG moving ahead with the rest of the world and this could be by simply applying good thoughts that will not cost us an arm or a leg, but through genuine effort of telling others to change their undesirable habits and attitudes for the better. Advising them to be more respectful, showing honesty and courtesy, and caring and sharing, reminding them of good old-fashioned values and ways that we had learnt from our parents, from our village elders, from school, from church and from our neighbours. To get the message across to the masses, we could ask the media to help out by contributing some free space in their newspapers, radio and television. Worthy discussions could be rotated or offered on a voluntary basis from reputable persons in the community, from church pastors, from political leaders, from senior members of the disciplined forces and senior public servants and also business people. 

 

Simple messages could be conveyed to the people to obey the laws of the country, to respect others and the community, and settling problems and differences peacefully to avoid unnecessary confrontation and violence. Also telling people to stop doing deliberate acts of defacing (ugly graffiti and red buai spit) or damaging government and private property etc. These topics can be constant reminders in the newspapers, radio and television to everyone at least twice or three times a week. Also good suggestions could be discussed in a meaningful and wholesome way to engage the general public in participating for change and improvement to their lifestyles whether living in a town, city, settlement or village. Women could also use this opportunity via the media to voice their concerns on a whole lot of issues such as education, child health care, high cost of food, better housing, clean drinking water, fair employment, and be able to walk freely and safely without being harassed and so on.

 

Chasing those dreams would surely make PNG a great place to live, work and to do business and also more travellers would want to visit our lovely country, also investors would want to set up businesses to create more jobs and training opportunities. Our dreams can come true if everyone could spare a moment to listen to good thoughts from various reputable persons and apply those good thoughts or dreams. Young ones will grow up happy to enjoy a better and healthy future and they will pass on those dreams or values to their children...

 

Have a merry Xmas and a Happy New Year! 

 

James Derbyshire

Brisbane, Qld