A couple of commercial rice farm trainees are now in Rigo in the Central Province, to under intensive commercial rice training with Rigo Rice. The five Sepik natives were welcomed to Port Moresby by the Minister for International Trade and Investment, Hon. Richard Maru, and the owner of Rigo Rice, Mr. Jeffery Kennedy. Minister Maru expressed gratitude to Rigo Rice for providing their expertise and training for this commercial rice farm trainees who will be Master Trainers upon completion of their training. They are expected to learn the skills of growing rice from nursery to growing stage, as well as pest control and milling. Part of the training will also involve the use of tractors and other equipment. “After their two months of training they will return to the Sepik Plains where we expect to start the first commercial rice trial farm in November this year,” said Minister Maru. From his experience of growing rice in Rigo for the past 5 years, owner of Rigo Rice, Mr. Kennedy is adamant that Papua New Guinea does not need to import K900 million of rice annually. He is now working on a part of commitment to work with the government to build g a local domestic rice industry that will produce over 400 000 metric tons of rice over the next 5 years. “We must believe in ourselves as the time is right and I am happy to partner the Marape- Rosso Government under the SEZ program to lead this journey.”