By GEORGINA MICHAEL
PNG’s oil palm industry has the potential to significantly reduce the country’s reliance on imported fuel and lower costs for local communities—if the government acts swiftly to pass new legislation and invest in domestic processing, according to Oil Palm Industry Corporation General Secretary Kepson Pupita.
He made the remarks in Kokopo last week during the final validation of the Oil Palm Industry Management Bill 2025 and the Oil Palm Industry Authority Bill 2025.
Pupita emphasized that oil palm offers a practical path toward fuel self-sufficiency, especially as global supply disruptions are expected to persist due to ongoing instability in the Middle East.
“Fuel is going to be a problem in this world. The troubles and the wars in the Middle East will not stop. It will continue. And we’ve got to be prepared as a government,” Mr. Pupita said
He highlighted the transformative potential of commercial crops such as oil palm, noting their ability to boost self-sufficiency and provide direct benefits to growers, including opportunities in fuel production.
‘East New Britain is where commercial agriculture started in PNG, and it is fitting for us to come here to continue to work and draft the bills for the commercial crops that will transform lives like oil palm that is now becoming a very popular commodity in the global markets.”
“We have a vibrant economy, and we want to make this economy more vibrant by introducing legislation that can be able to continue to empower people.”
Despite financial constraints, Pupita stressed that the government remains committed to advancing the legislation, with a strong focus on local ownership and technological innovation to benefit both the province and the nation.
Currently, PNG exports palm oil in crude form. The draft bills aim to change this by encouraging investment in local technologies and processing plants, enabling the production of biodiesel and other energy uses. Pupita pointed to Malaysia and Indonesia as examples where commercial agriculture has transformed rural livelihoods, achieving higher yields and extraction rates. He argued that PNG has the expertise and resources to develop its own policies independently, similar to China.
“We have the expertise and resources to develop our own policies and implement ithem’Pupita said.
The proposed laws also seek to ensure landowners benefit directly, with fair compensation and a share of profits. Pupita acknowledged the technical team for its collaborative work on the National Oil Palm Policy 2025–2030, which has guided the drafting of the bills.
The consultation process has involved communities and addressed social issues, while also promoting local technologies and factories to strengthen the industry.
Minister for Oil Palm Francis Galia Maneke concluded that clear legislation would provide confidence to development partners—including the World Bank—to support investments in processing plants and biodiesel facilities.