Rubber industry restructure is key to progress, says chairman

CHAIRMAN of the Papua New Guinea Rubber Board, Josephine Kenni, says restructure is key to progress in the rubber industry.

Kenni was responding to failed rubber nurseries such as the Cape Rodney project in Abau, Central, and the Upilama nursery.

She said this was caused by dis-connectivity in the industry.

Kenni said the Cape Rodney rubber project was parked under the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) as a programme.

"It became a programme like the Livestock Development Corporation and Spice Industry," she said.

"I joined the rubber industry as a chairperson with the old 1953 Rubber Development Act in place.

"In the Act, there is no specific job that the rubber board does.

"It only gets reports from rubber inspectors for approval."

The board does not connect to farmers and officers but only communicates with rubber inspectors.

"The Upilama nursery failed because of the negligence of officials.

Cape Rodney was abandoned before I joined," Kenni said.

"I want to make it right by putting the legislation in order.

Kenni said the board already had a draft corporate plan, strategic plan and policy.

"We got them done this year and it's an in-house capacity building," she said.

"We are waiting for the agriculture master plan to be completed to get everything aligned and restructured."

Kenni added that the industry had a new legislation implemented in 2022.

"We also have a rubber industry development authority which is now sitting under the DAL. So, with the new Act, we are going to teach farmers what they should do and where to report to," Kenni said.

"But this is how the new sector is going to run and we have a new structure that is with DPM and is sitting to be cleared out.

"The restructure is the only answer to the industry."

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