Papua-New Guinea
pp. 39-43 · Read in the full issue
Valuable Fibre Crops In
Kenaf Industry Ready for Development
PRIVATE interssts which have been responsible for introduc ing and experimenting with Kenaf in Papua-New Guinea, are confident that the stage has now been reached when the growing of this crop for industrial fibre can be launched on a large scale in the Territory.
The experimental introduction and cultivation work has been patiently and successfully carried out; the fibre has passed every test required of it, with strength and quality to spare; and large-scale planting could now proceed, sure in the knowledge that the fibre could make Australia at least partly inde pendent of jute and could be one of PNG’s major industries.
In Sydney, at the end of March, Mr. R. A. Colyer, who is primarily responsible for introducing Kenaf to P-NG, said: “I feel that I have done all that an individual can do. It is now up to the Government, and to in dustry generally, to carry on with the good work.
“We have shown that Kenaf will grow in Papua-New Guinea better
than anywhere else in the world where it has yet been planted. I am confident that production there could supply Australia’s entire needs for burlap, and that an ex port market could eventually be de veloped.
“I have no doubt whatever that, with large-scale efficient operation, we could produce a fibre superior to jute and on a competitive price basis. But I emphasise that the operations must be efficient.
“Kenaf is a most attractive fibre, and that already produced is highly satisfactory for wool packs and the heavier types of burlap. With an additional washing system, which is now being tested, it will be pos sible to separate the fibre finely enough for the lighter types of hessians, and for upholstery and curtain materials. Unlike jute, Kenaf will take a dye readily, which gives it great additional value.
“A lot of the onus must now be thrown on the Australian Govern ment to ensure that this new in dustry is properly developed. The undertaking is of national import ance.”
IT was Mr. Colyer who, a very few years ago, purchased in America, in a semi-official capacity, the last 90 lbs of Kenaf seed that was then available in the world, and sent it to Port Moresby where, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, it was planted ex perimentally with most encouraging results.
That 90 pounds of seed, with additional supplies obtained by the Administration, has provided the stock for that work.
Mr. Colyer makes full acknow ledgment of the willing assistance given to the infant Kenaf industry by the Commonwealth Government, both in Canberra and through the P-NG Department of Agriculture, The Minister for Territories (Mr, Hasluck) has given his active sup port and is enthusiastic about the enterprise.
However, Mr. Colyer and his
associates are now of the opinion that in order to firmly establish the industry, and so make Australia in dependent of the vagaries of the jute market and to provide security for Australia’s wool and wheat in dustries if or when jute supplies are cut off, the Australian Government will have to go a step further and subsidise or protect the industry by some constitutional means.
MR. COLYER is the biggest share holder in Erima Estates (Hold ings) Ltd., a group formed to support the preparatory work on Kenaf. The experimental work has been done mainly at Eriama, a few miles from Port Moresby, in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture and with the advice of an American expert, Mr. J.
Dempsey, and under the direction of Mr. Colin Sefton.
Mr. Colyer said the purpose of the preparatory work had been to prove the suitability of P-NG for Kenaf, the yield of the fibre from the plant, and particularly the value of the decorticated fibre in relation to the spinning industry and the manufacture of wool packs and burlap materials.
It has been shown that the soil and climate of P-NG are favourable to Kenaf. Experiments have been confined mainly to the Salvadore variety, a high yielder but one that is susceptible to photoperiodism, or daylight. Its cropping period was found to be about 3J mon.hs at
Eriama, but its growth there was influenced by the short rainfall period.
Kenaf flourishes in medium to good soils, with intermittent rain and sunsnine. Experiments are about to proceed with another lour varieties, having a lower yield of fibre than Salvadore but character istics which possibly will make it
suitable for planting both early and late in the season, thus extending the duration of cropping.
Eriama is not the best area for Kenaf. It was chosen for the ex periments mainly because of its commercially strategic position.
Nevertheless, the dry fibre yield has been most encouraging. It has ex ceeded by far the jute yield per
acre in India and Pakistan. And the area has been most suitable for the propagation of seed.
Mr. Colyer said that no growing tests had been made at Oro Bay, where 15,000 acres were leased last year to Eriama Estates and where the Administration has contracted to spend over £lOO,OOO on building roads, wharves and other facilities.
It is believed that Oro Bay (on the NE coast of Papua) will be par ticularly favourable for Kenaf, and it is there that it is proposed to establish large-scale operations.
Pilot plots have been sown at Bubia and Madang experimental stations, on the NG side, but it is expected that the Equatorial variety of Kenaf will do better in those areas. This variety is to be tested at Eriama.
Improved Decorticating
Methods
RECENTLY, at Eriama, a large Mohegan Corona decorticating machine has been installed and given satisfactory test runs. The machine is automatically fed with 20 tons of green Kenaf stems an hour, from which it delivers one short ton of dry fibre. That is the equivalent of the average yield per acre.
Further experiments in planting methods are to be undertaken but, at the moment, thick sowing is favoured for thin, regular stems. For mechanical harvesting, Mr. Dempsey is recommending sowing in drills not more than five inches apart, with four or five seeds to the foot.
The acreage yields have been proved at Eriama by hand-operated decorticators. These have now been replaced by the Mohegan Corona for treating the main crops, but they will still be valuable for future yield tests.
It is believed that there are ex
cellent prospects in Kenaf for small landholders. Mr. Colyer pre dicts that in a few years, machinery
Mr. J. Dempsey (left) and Mr. R. A. Colyer with the first bale of Eriama Kenaf for experimental spinning and weaving in the United States.
will be available for small holdings.
This machinery, he thinks, will also make possible the growing of Kenaf as a village industry.
One machine which has been undergoing tests in America for the last two years, is a combined harvester-decorticator designed for operation in the field. It is likely that the fibre obtained by this machine will have to be chemically separated because, with no washing facilities in the field, the gums will harden quickly. The chemical pro cess is not expensive, and the fibre could be treated on the plantation.
Mr. Colyer sees the day when numerous small landholders will grow their Kenaf, strip and wash their own fibre, and send it to local mills for spinning and weaving. He thinks that the establishment of such njills in P-NG will be essential for the utmost development and success of the industry.
The mills will need considerable electric power. Completion of the hydro-electric scheme at Rouna Falls could provide opportunity for the establishment of the first mill.
SAMPLE wool packs and burlap material woven in Australia from Eriama Kenaf fibres have convinced the experts that this fibre can do everything that jute materials can do. In addition, if the industry is fostered, it can be a valuable aid to the wheat and wool industries of Australia in re lieving them from dependence on jute which, until 18 months ago, had risen to a fantastic price and had taken the price of bags, sacks and all burlap products with it.
In the early stages, spinning and weaving of P-NG Kenaf had to be done in New Zealand mills. Aus tralian wsavers are now co-operat ing.
A Place For Manila Hemp
THE new automatic Mohegan de corticating machine which has been installed at Eriama will also strip manila hemp. Manila hemp has been the “baby” of the Department of Agriculture; and it is the Dept, which has supplied the stalks of the plant for experimental decorticating. Perfect strands of hemp have resulted.
P-NG is fortunate in having what ig probably the only disease-free manila hemp (or Abaca) in the world. This plant is, of course, of the banana family and, like it, is subject to the disease called bunchy top.
The first plantings of manila hemp were made in NG before the war and were from imported suck ers. These, unfortunately, later showed dormant signs of the disease and, rather than risk the importa tion of bunchy-top to the disease free Territory, the whole of the plantings' were destroyed.
However, unlike the commercial banana, which has been bred as a food, the fruit of the Abaca still
carries seeds. Seeds saved from the NG plantings that were cut out were planted after the war and, be cause the disease is not transmitted through the seeds, a disease-free product has resulted. At the same time, plants do not breed true through planting of seeds, and it will probably take some years of selection and breeding before a de sirable type is fixed.
It is by no means impossible that some day P-NG will find itself with the only disease-free manila hemp stands of any consequence in the world. Some authorities are of the opinion that bunchy-top could easily restrict production of manila hemp in other countries, in the future.
In the meantime, it is encourag ing to know that the fibre from Abaca can be extracted by the same means as the fibre from Kenaf. It is hoped that in the P-NG off-sea son for Kenaf, manila hemp can be processed and so keep the factory in continuous operation.
The Mohegan will also treat sisal, which also can be grown satisfac torily around Port Moresby.
In February, 89 ounces 15 dwts. of gold were recovered from approximately 8,000 cubic yards of material treated by Sandy Creek Gold Sluicing Ltd., New Guinea.