Yama keen on growing Madang’s agriculture sector

Momase

Madang Governor Peter Yama says his province is one that rides on the back of agriculture and will continue to do so.
Yama commended the Government for its strong emphasis on agriculture.
“Madang is the home of Ramu Sugar, big oil palm estates in the Ramu Valley and are among the top three provinces in cocoa and copra production,” he said.
“I will be directing my government and provincial administration to tap into our massive agriculture potential and develop it.
“The involvement of cooperative societies at the village level is a good a way of getting people together and participating in agriculture development.” Yama said Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and Agriculture and Livestock Minister Benny Allan were taking agriculture in the right direction.
“Over 80 per cent of our people live in rural areas and depend solely on agriculture,” he said.
“It is, therefore, of great importance we develop our export tree crops, cocoa, coffee, oil palm and rubber and spices and food crops for export and domestic consumption.
“Agriculture remains a mainstay of the national economy since independence, providing employment and earning foreign exchange.
“Therefore, the Government must give its support to the existing stakeholders’ network and private sector.”
Yama highlighted the contribution of dedicated Papua New Guineans like Warren Dutton to the rubber industry in Western, the Middleton family to the copra industry on Karkar Island in Madang and John Nightingale of Agmark to cocoa and copra in East New Britain.