A rubber farmer could earn as much as K167,400 per year

BY CYRIL GARE

The Rubber Board of PNG led by second-term Chairperson, Ms. Josephine Kenni is in Angoram today to officially launch a new rubber nursery, announce price support, and oversee opportunity to revive the defunct Gavien rubber factory – among others.

The visit is in line with the Marape-Basil Government in reviving the rubber industry in the country and unlocking the potential of rubber elasticity as an economy driver in PNG.

Previously, for nearly two decades, the PNG Rubber Board was thrown into disarray and remained defunct due to lengthy court battles over positions until recently.

A new board was sworn in on July 2, 2020 comprising Ms. Kenni herself as Chairperson who was reappointed for the second term, Stephen Mombi, Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) Deputy Secretary for Technical Services as ex officio member (Mr. Mombi is now acting DAL Secretary), SME and exporter entrepreneur’s representative, Kone Burana as smallholder and public sector representative, Lawrence Miai as the Rubber Association representative and Lee Wari as coordinator for the DAL.

Ms. Kenni is accompanied by a government technical team comprising officers from the Rubber Board itself, Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL), Department of National Planning and Implementation (DNPI), a journalist and others.

A rubber trees produce around 279 kilograms of latex per year so if a farmer owns 500 rubber trees and selling his cup lumps at K1.20 per kg, s/he could earn as much as K167,400 per year and that’s a lot of money for a simple villager.

At mid-stream processing level (TSR factory), a farmer could earn as much as K418,500 per year – making rubber a potential billion kina revenue earner for the national coffers untapped.