The big mover this month was the cocoa price which was up 6.6 per cent for the month according to Kina Securities. Otherwise commodity prices moved sideways or weakened. Business Advantage PNG’s monthly overview of commodity and financial markets.
Industry sectors
A young Papua New Guinean entrepreneur is bringing Silicon Valley to PNG to help boost financial inclusion in the country. Day One Investments’ Shane Ninai tells Business Advantage PNG of his plans to encourage the use of the virtual currency, Bitcoin.
Papua New Guinea’s fishing industry faces fierce competition from Thailand and the Philippines, says Pete Celso, Managing Director of R D Tuna Canneries in Lae. He believes a lack of control over imports is harming the local industry.
James Lau, Managing Director of Rimbunan Hijau Group tells Business Advantage PNG that he sees positive developments with hotels, agriculture, gold and the country’s preparations for the 2018 APEC meeting. But he says continuing weakness in commodity prices will limit Papua New Guinea’s growth in the short to medium-term.
If the giant Panguna copper mine on Bougainville is ever to re-open, many complex problems must be solved, including the status of the former miner, Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL). In this exclusive interview with Business Advantage PNG, BCL Chairman Rob Burns outlines its strategy to return to mining.
Women in rural Papua New Guinea are keen to engage in agribusiness but many have traditionally struggled to take leadership roles. That is beginning to change, Curtin University researcher Dr Gina Koczberski tells Business Advantage PNG.
In Papua New Guinea you are ‘only as good as your last implementation’ says Steve Hillyard, General Manager in PNG for Pronto Software. He tells Business Advantage PNG that networking and creating positive ‘word of mouth’ are crucial for success in PNG’s ICT market.
Many business have reported the current business climate in PNG as ‘quiet’, with some saying income is down about 20 per cent. How has CPL fared? Business Advantage PNG talks to CEO, Ravi Singh.
The APEC meeting in 2018 in Port Moresby will be a major boost for the country, David Toua, the President of the Business Council of PNG (BCPNG), tells Business Advantage PNG. Analysts say in the past benefits have been shown to outweigh the costs.
Peter Botten, Managing Director of Oil Search tells Business Advantage PNG that the company’s Papua New Guinea assets are ‘highly profitable’ despite the low prices. He says the company is focusing on developing a five year plan for ensuring sustainability, managing exploration and working with the community.