PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAYAPURA – Acting Governor of Papua, Ramses Limbong, has called for the development of a roadmap for palm oil plantations to stimulate the establishment of processing plants in the region. He emphasized that this initiative is crucial for unlocking Papua’s palm oil potential.
“I have instructed the relevant agencies to immediately draft this roadmap so that we can revitalize palm oil plantations in Papua. With this step, we can prepare for the establishment of processing plants with designated land areas,” Ramses stated in an official release to Palmoilmagazine.com on Monday (Jan 27, 2025).
Beyond palm oil, Ramses highlighted the vast potential of the marine sector, which he believes can be sustainably developed in Papua. He pointed to Bitung, North Sulawesi, as a successful example in canned tuna production and export.
“The most urgent industrial development in Papua right now is the marine sector. The vast potential in Biak and Sarmi can follow in Bitung’s footsteps,“ he added.
He also revealed that Papua’s Regional Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMD) will prioritize downstream industries in agriculture, marine resources, and tourism as key sectors for future economic growth.
“We will focus on three main sectors: agriculture, marine resources, and tourism, as part of our strategy to develop Papua,” Ramses affirmed.
However, Ramses acknowledged that land ownership issues remain a significant obstacle for investors in Papua.
“The biggest challenge in Papua is land ownership. This issue has been a major barrier to investor interest,” he noted.
Despite this, Ramses remains optimistic that over time, communities will better understand the importance of industrialization and downstream processing in advancing Papua’s economic development. (P2)