Hands on … Men and women participate in a practical session of the portable sawmill operation training. PC: MORDI Fallen and damaged trees that were left scattered around parts of Tonga after Category 4 Tropical Cyclone Gita will soon be used to rebuild homes and aid recovery efforts. This week, 32 representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests (MAFF), Latter Day Saints (LDS) Church, Tonga National Youth Congress,

The 34th Australia Papua New Guinea Business Forum and Trade Expo gets underway this week in Brisbane. The Forum is the major annual business meeting between Australia and Papua New Guinea. It provides a platform for business leaders from both countries to discuss issues with the aim of enhancing the bilateral business relationship. This year’s theme is APEC 2018 – Achievements and Opportunities. PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neill visits the

Banz Kofi Fektori has become the first coffee producer in Papua New Guinea to achieve the internationally recognised Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) accreditation. HACCP is an internationally recognised way of managing food safety and protecting consumers. This accreditation means Banz Kofi products can be exported to Australian and other countries where HACCP accreditation is a requirement before accepting imports. Patrick Killoran (sixth from left) from Banz Kofi

Sensory evaluation training to help test cocoa quality Twenty one participants from the cocoa industry around Papua New Guinea attended a three-day Sensory Evaluation Capacity Training at Tavilo, East New Britain last week. They travelled from as far as West and East Sepik, Bougainville, Morobe, Madang and East New Britain provinces. The training was facilitated by the Australia and New Zealand-funded Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access (PHAMA) Program in

The Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access (PHAMA) Program in Papua New Guinea continues to gain recognition for its progress in export market facilitation. PHAMA PNG attributes this to its successful working relationship with stakeholders, including the PNG Government. At the PHAMA Coordinating Committee meeting in Nadi, Fiji last week, PHAMA PNG’s Senior National Coordinator, Jane Ravusiro, acknowledged their partnerships as being a contributing factor to the Australia and New