Rimbunan Hijau (RH) PNG

Papua New Guinea’s retailers and manufacturers alike reporting significant drops in revenue this year. How serious is the downturn?

The Rimbunan Hijau (PNG) Group optimistic MD, James Lau, tells Business Advantage why the group is expanding its horizons.

Palm oil production has the potential to play a major role in economic development of Papua New Guinea. Industry development now underway in PNG shows that the returns on investment for local communities involved in palm oil plantations or smallholder systems can be high.

Papua New Guinea’s forestry sector has bounced back from the 2008/9 slump, and is looking to value-adding, together with sustainability and traceability practices, for its growth.

Business leaders provide their own take on opportunities in PNG’s economy.

Papua New Guinea’s forestry sector contributes 4% of the country’s GDP, with significant room to grow as it responds to the rising demand for sustainable and traceable forest products.

Rimbunan Hijau PNG (R H) is Papua New Guinea’s largest forestry business, accounting for about 45% of the country’s timber exports. Business Advantage spoke with Managing Director James Lau about his company’s strategy for growth and the sector’s future.

PNG’s current economic upturn has involved a notable increase in foreign direct investment from Asia.