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At NBPOL we are constantly planning for the future. As such we have invested significantly in various research and development initiates to ensure the continued growth and success of New Britain Palm Oil Limited.
Dami Oil Palm Research Station
Dami Oil Research Station is a world-class producer of oil palm seed and continues its research in breeding programs with the selection of better yielding elite palms. Through state of the art research programs with Cambridge University and Queensland University on mapping the oil palm genome and developing a double haploid oil palm NBPOL look poised to increase its strong hold on the international Palm Oil industry.
The Dami Oil Palm Research Station, located approximately 30 kilometers east of Kimbe, was established in 1968, soon after NBPOL commenced large scale commercial planting. In order to secure the availability of high-grade seed for the expanding oil palm industry in PNG, genetic material from the Harrisons and Crosfield Oil Palm Research Station in Malaysia was planted in Dami. This material was derived from palms achieving high oil yields over four generations in Malaysia.
The north coast of West New Britain enjoys an average annual rainfall of over 3,800mm distributed throughout the year and 1,800 hours of sunshine. This combined with the absence of any significant oil palm pest and diseases on the island, provides an ideal environment for the assessment of the full genetic potential of Dami's breeding material.
Further NBPOL soil research has determined the soil to be lacking in magnesium, but gene modification has resulted in oil palms that are particularly well adapted to soils with low magnesium status.
The Company has established a modern tissue culture laboratory and seed processing facilities, with an estimated annual processing capacity of 20 million seeds. However production is restricted by our adherence to rigorous selection criterion with only proven palms being used as "mother" palms. Dami is the only oil palm breeding center in Papua New Guinea and provides the industry with high yielding seeds. Seeds are also exported to markets in South East Asia, however priority is given to Papua New Guinean farmers. In addition, Dami has a joint venture seed production facility in Colombia that provides seed for the Central and South American markets.
All this research and development combined has produced an excellent quality of seed capable of providing the world's highest oil palm yields and mill extraction rates.
Dami has three main functions:
- The breeding and reproduction of palms that will produce economic yields higher than those currently available to NBPOL
- To produce seed from the selected parent palms for sale to other oil palm growers both within and outside Papua New Guinea
- To investigate, develop and adapt new technologies that will add value to our core operations.
Dami-Las Flores Joint Venture
In 1995, the Dami-Las Flores seed garden was commissioned at Las Flores in Columbia. Dami has an agreement with its Columbian partner, Murgas and Lowe, in Baranquilla, under which Dami continues to supply technical support and pollen in return for a royalty on each seed sold.
Dami-Australia Pty Ltd
During 1997, this Australian registered wholly owned subsidiary was formed to replicate and conserve Dami's most valuable material on a property near Babinda in North Queensland. The object was to ensure that any possible damage to the Company's breeding material would not cause irreplaceable loss.
PT Damitama Mas Sejahtera
Late 1997 saw the formation of a 50/50 joint venture based in Sumatra with a subsidiary of the PT Smart groups of companies. The joint venture company has established a seed garden to help meet the anticipated high demand for Dami material in Indonesia. NBPOL's commitment is for the supply of the genetic material and technical expertise only.
More Information
Ensuring The Continuous Improvement And Quality Of Dami Seeds
By F. Dumortier, S. Lord, T.K. Lim
.doc Format, 2.1 MB
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Environmental Impacts of Oil Palm - Practical Considerations in Defining Sustainability for Impacts on the Air, Land and Water
By S. LORD AND J. CLAY
Presented at The 5 th international Planters Conference (2006 IPC) Kuala Lumpur
PDF Format, 145 KB
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ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES AND ISO 14001
By S. LORD
Presented at The Second Kulim Conference, 2004, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea, Sept 27th - 29th.
And published in the Planter, Kuala Lumpur, 82 (959); 83-99 (2006)
PDF Format, 100 KB
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The Oil Palm Industry's approach to the use of pesticides in Papua New Guinea
By B. PAGE and S. LORD
Published in The Planter, Kuala Lumpur, 82 (958); 13-21 (2006)
PDF Format, 84 KB
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