Indonesian investors have been urged to consider investing in the development of oil palm projects in Papua New Guinea (PNG) to develop the palm oil sector and tap into the opportunities in oil palm production and export. Minister Maru said Indonesia has a big demand for palm oil, and the opportunity that PNG presents is something Indonesian investors should look at very closely. “We have a lot of resources, a lot of investment opportunities. We have millions of hectors of grassland that can be used for oil palm,” said the minister. The availability of grassland is important because currently, world markets are strict with oil palm exports. “I know the rest of the world is now making it tougher to export oil palm, if they think you are involved in deforestation.” By this statement, the minister meant that the availability of hectors of grassland in the country means that there will be no need to clear forest land to plant oil palm, thus no deforestation. This means oil palm exports from PNG should not be questioned by world markets. Minister Maru said Indonesia has also decided to decarbonize and use oil palm to produce biofuel and PNG has the capacity to satisfy Indonesia’s biofuel demands, through the availability of hectors of grassland for oil palm projects. “PNG is a market that is ready to export to your country. This is one sector Indonesia should seriously look at investing into,” Minister Maru said. “We will do everything and anything to support you to do that, because we know your appetite,” said he said. Minister Maru also told the Indonesian delegation at the Inaugural PNG- Indonesia Business Forum in Port Moresby on Wednesday, that oil palm is part of the Special Economic Zones that the PNG government is implementing and the potential of making good investments in palm oil, is even greater.