A growth industry
Aproposed timber processing facility near Lae could play an important role in the Papua New Guinea forestry industry’s future, according to Tony Bartlett from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).
ACIAR is an organisation that supports research for development projects in about 40 countries.
As part of this project, ACIAR has worked with the PNG government to research the development of a processing facility for timber from community owned forests.
Bartlett, the ACIAR’s forestry research program manager, believes the facility will assist local landowners and farmers by adding value to their timber.
The government has been unable to fund the delivery of the project, so ACIAR partnered with the Timber and Forestry Training College of the PNG University of Technology to explore whether a viable business plan could be developed.
While the training facility is in need of a major refurbishment, Bartlett says its location, just outside Lae, is ideal and he sees potential in the facility, if investment is secured.
“The global market for wood products is continually growing. The Papua New Guinean government has acknowledged this and is hoping the facility will provide capacity to add value to timber domestically, and therefore keep a proportion of the income in PNG.
“By moving away from relying on log exports, the government hopes to develop new domestic and export markets for processed timber, which it hopes will lead to more jobs, training and growth in the area,” he says.
Investment of around PGK1.4 million is needed to get the project off the ground.