Lae, Morobe Province, April 9, 2025 – Chief Executive Officer of Mainland Holdings, Phil Franklin, has urged the Government to take a more active role in facilitating investment and development in agriculture, particularly the livestock and poultry sectors, during his address at the National Agriculture Industry Public-Private Sector Partnership Conference in Lae today.
Franklin, who has worked in Papua New Guinea for nearly five decades and leads one of the country’s largest integrated agribusinesses, emphasised that government agencies beyond the Department of Agriculture must collaborate more effectively to support the sector.
“The biggest challenge for agriculture is for the Government to facilitate development and investment. This is not just the job of the Department of Agriculture — it requires coordination with Lands, Police, Law and Order, and others,” Franklin said.
Mainland Holdings operates in a diverse range of agribusinesses including chicken, eggs, stockfeed, flour, and crocodile skins and meat. Franklin noted that the company is currently producing around 8 megawatts of power through its own generators to keep operations running due to unreliable electricity supply — a stark example of the infrastructure challenges facing private agribusinesses.
“Most of our farms and factories are run with our own generators. If you’re in manufacturing, you can’t afford to have your processes stopping and starting throughout the day,” he said.
Mainland Holdings CEO Phil Franklin addressing the conference.-Picture by Department of Agriculture Media
Franklin called for government agencies such as the Internal Revenue Commission, Customs, and infrastructure providers to work in tandem with the private sector to create an environment where agribusiness can thrive, employment can grow, and tax revenue can increase.
As Deputy Chairman of the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA), Franklin stressed that the role of the IPA and other state institutions must be to promote — not prevent — investment.
“The Government must understand that its job is to facilitate investment and let the private sector do what it does best. That’s where jobs come from and where small and medium enterprises can grow,” he added.
He also encouraged policymakers to apply lessons from the mining sector — particularly around landowner involvement and benefit-sharing — to large-scale agriculture. According to Franklin, meaningful participation of landowners and consistent government support could catalyse similar success stories in agriculture.
“If government is serious about agriculture, you need to apply the same principles and benefits you give to the mining sector. Involve the landowners and let large-scale agriculture grow,” he said.
Franklin concluded by acknowledging the energy and shared purpose evident at the conference, urging stakeholders to collaborate and move forward together.
“There’s a lot of history and energy in this room. Let’s get together and make it work,” he said.
The National Agriculture Industry Public-Private Sector Partnership Conference continues this week in Lae, with discussions focused on strengthening collaboration between government, industry, and landowners to drive sustainable growth in PNG’s agriculture sector.
