THE Papua New Guinea Oil Palm Industry Corporation (OPIC) is aiming to promote growth from 2025 and beyond, by working in collaboration with all key stakeholders, including provincial governments, customary landowners and other state agencies.
To create a pathway to achieve this, OPIC General Secretary Mr. Kepson Pupita held a PNG OPIC first Project Managers and Accountants Meeting for 2025 from February 12 to 13 last week.
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The two-day meeting brought together all the project managers, accountants and senior administration staff of PNG Oil Palm Industry Corporation in the country.
The meeting was held at the OPIC Head Office Conference Room, Kennedy Estates in Port Moresby, where all the project managers and accountants in all five existing projects and Ramu Special Project presented their 2025 Plans and Key Performance Indicators (KPI).
The meeting was witnessed by the PNG OPIC Board Chairman, Mr. Stuart Tatauro.
Mr. Pupita, who welcomed everyone to the meeting, stated that there is huge potential and importance of the development and expansion of Oil Palm.
He said Papua New Guinea’s ideal strategic location to Asian markets and with favorable environmental conditions with vast arable savannah grasslands, it has the potential to increase oil palm export volumes.
Mr. Pupita therefore encouraged everyone to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to grow the industry from 2025 and beyond.
The General Secretary also highlighted in his presentation comparative oil palm production (fresh fruit bunch yields) from the five project sites in Hoskins, Bialla, Kavieng, Milne Bay and Popondetta over the last 10 years.
He emphasized on the need to maximize opportunities to increase yields.
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Mr. Pupita said there was a progress being made but there are also opportunities for continuous improvement through promotion and awareness on application of innovative and best management practices in the delivery of extension services to the smallholder growers to realize the full potential.
Stressing on the KPI, the General Secretary said the 2025 KPI are a vital roadmap that will guide the industry’s aspirations to deliver programs which are aligned to promote the Marape-Rosso Government’s Medium Term Development Plan IV, 2023 to 2027 to produce 1, 300,000 tons of palm oil products by 2027 and contribute to more than 66% of the agriculture commodity exports to revenue to grow the country’s economy.
He told the participants to have a growth mindset and focus on your set 2025 KPI in their respective projects to promote growth, while working in collaboration with all the key stakeholders.
Mr. Pupita further highlighted the importance of Papua New Guinea now being recognized and a fully-fledged member of the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) which augers well with the OPIC’s aspirations to grow the industry.
He thanked the Marape-Rosso Government for the support and OPIC will continue to work with the National Government to promote the oil palm industry.
OPIC Board Chairman Mr. Stuart Tatauro thanked the General Secretary for taking the initiative to engage Senior Managers to discuss current challenges and opportunities for continuous improvement in 2025 and moving forward.
He said the OPIC Board will always support any initiatives undertaken to promote the expansion and growth of the industry.
The meeting was concluded with a group photo session outside OPIC Head Office at Kennedy Estate in Port Moresby.
