The first potential rice investors from Philippines will arrive tomorrow, to visit potential rice zones in the country upon invitation by the Minister for International Trade and Investment, Hon. Richard Maru.
The team will be led by the Papua New Guinea Ambassador to the Philippines, Ms. Betty Palaso and the former Department of Agriculture Secretary of Philippines, Emanuel Pinol.
The team will visit Central Province which has been identified by the Government as a potential rice Zone. They will be visiting Brown River and Gabadi in the Kauruku District on Wednesday and Rigo on Thursday to look at state land before returning to Philippines on Friday.
“This visit signals the start of a determined effort by the Marape – Rosso Government to replace imports,” Minister Maru Said.
“This year my Ministry and Department will be targeting and working with the single focus to begin work on bringing in both international and local investors to invest in large scale agriculture productions to replace imports,” Minister Maru added.
Minister Maru said, Central Province has been identified as a Special Economic Zone for cotton and rice farming.
He said, the team will be coming with their scientists and specialists to get the soil samples for testing to make sure the soil is suitable for large scale farming. Minister Maru further added that the NARI and Agriculture department will be working with the team.
