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Trukai Industries
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There is no question that Papua New Guinea’s manufacturers-which account for about 9% of the country’s GDP – have been caught up in the general downturn in the country’s economy, with a combination of lower investment in the mining and petroleum sectors, lower commodity prices and a stronger currency slowing growth and reducing domestic demand.
Cheap imports into Papua New Guinea are posing an increasing threat to local producers, with reports of foreign companies ‘dumping’ goods in PNG or under-declaring the value of imports.
Papua New Guinea’s agricultural sector has a number of competitive advantages, including high seasonal rainfall, good quality soil and low-intensity methods. The absence of pesticides and artificial fertilisers presents opportunities for PNG to position itself as a leading organic producer.
Farming expertise, rich soil and high rainfall are behind Papua New Guinea’s organic strength.
Papua New Guinea food producer Trukai Industries (‘trukai’ means ‘good food’ in tok pisin) achieved a notable breakthrough at the end of 2007 when it began exporting long-grain rice to drought-stricken Australia, in spite of the fact that PNG grows little rice of its own.