Papua New Guinea's national planning minister says the country currently spends about US$1.25 billion on food imports each year, an amount he wants to reduce.
Richard Maru said the government was focused on replacing imported food with local produce making a project on the Sepik Plains high on their list of priorities.
The Post Courier reports Mr Maru recently visited the Sepik Plains with Israeli investors who are set to develop the region through an agricultural project.
The so-called 'Innovative Agro Industry' was aiming to set up an egg farm and a broiler meat farm as well as grain production.
The investors are also planning a cocoa plantation using Israeli technology they say would produce up to 500 percent more beans than an average plantation.
