Papua-New Guinea

Planning Of Primary Industries For

What Agriculture Department Is Doing

IN interesting review of the ■> activities and plans of the De rtment of Agriculture in Papua *w Guinea was made in Septem r by the Australian Minister for rritories. The Department now is crating a number of experimental lions, from which much is hoped.

The main lowland agricultural ex ponent station is at Keravat (New Itain) and the main highland tion at Aiyura (Eastern High ids).

The Keravat Station, 28 miles m Rabaul, has 360 acres planted, activities include cocoa breeding, sction and propagation; manila np selection and propagation; en aological research on pests of :oa and coconuts; seed produc i for cocoa, coffee, fibres and ive foods; and the demonstration i testing of oil palm, kapok, •per, cinnamon, vanilla, derris, ton, castor bean, rubber and Ive food crops. fhe principal experimental work Aiyura (altitude 5,500 ft.) is on :hona (quinine bark), coffee, tea native food crops. The station plies coffee and tea seed to iters, and cinchona bark for use the Health Department in con ling malaria among natives, rk is being done on Soya bean, ithrum, native and introduced Is, fodder and cover crops, and nal husbandry. absidiary experiment stations are ted at Epo (Mekeo, Central Dis ), Garaina (Morobe District) and ia (near Lae). po is working on mechanised luction of rice, the breeding and :tion of rice strains and the pro ion of rice seed. Work is also i on fibres, tobacco, peanuts, mas and native foods, araina (2,200 feet) was es shed in 1948 to carry out ex nents on tea-growing. It now 40 acres under tea and will ex the area to 300 acres. It is ig tea growing under semi mercial conditions to the final ! processing the product for cet; and will supply seed and ting material to private estates provide technical and economic ibia is doing experimental work ae growing of cocoa, rice fibres, uts, bananas and native food i.

A Plant Introduction and Quar antine Station is located at Laloki (near Port Moresby) where research work on kenaf fibre is being carried out.

THE main animal industry field stations are being developed at Baiyer River (Central Highlands), Goroka (Central Highlands), Erap (via Lae) and near Port Moresby.

The purpose of Baiyer River (near Mount Hagen) is to breed beef cattle for distribution in the Highlands Dis tricts, and to establish foundation herds for coastal areas. Goroka is investigating and demonstrating methods of a permanent agriculture

lited to the Highlands, incorporat g the use of livestock. Erap will eed livestock for the New Guinea wlands and act as an experimental id extension centre for the pastoral nds of the Markham and Middle imu.

The main livestock and breeding ition for Papua is located near irt Moresby. With it is associated ; Kila Kila Animal Industry intre, which is the reception and iging centre for stock being em rked or disembarked at Port Dresby.

Other livestock centres are ated at Bisianumi (near Port Dresby), Rabaul and Lae.

Besides the experiment and live ck stations, several district agri tural stations have been set up to ve as bases from which extension icers carry out their work, and as nonstration areas for their dis its. These are located at Bainyik pik District), Madang and Popon ta (Northern District). >taff is being recruited for a num of new scientific and technical itions recently created in the De tment.

At. Ambrose Thomas, of Colyer tson (NG) Ltd. is relieving Mr.

Walker as Branch Manager at rieng, NG.