https://www.thenational.com.pg/governor-plants-the-seeds-of-agribusiness-for-hela/
Author: Shirly Peleg
IAI and Enga Provisional Government encourage employment opportunities for women farmers in PNG
LR Group Opened a shared biotech workspace in Jerusalem
The LR Group is to invest NIS 50 million in building and operating BIOHOUSE – a network of specialized workspaces for bio-medical startups within the campuses of three medical centers in Israel – Hadassah Ein Kerem in Jerusalem, Rabin (Beilinson) in Petah Tikva and Rambam in Haifa. BIOHOUSE offers a unique combination for startups – strategic location in medical centers, project acceleration via professional services and investment opportunities.
BIOHOUSE’s first workspace was established in cooperation with Hadassah Medical Center Ein Kerem and the Jerusalem Development Authority’s BioJerusalem venture and launched on June 19, 2018. It hosts ~50 startups and a digital health accelerator, operated by Hadassah.
BIOHOUSE is the tech-innovative platform of the LR Group’s Health Division and part of its strategic expansion program.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news – https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-lr-group-to-open-shared-biotech-workspace-in-jerusalem-1001241260 – on June 13, 2018.
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2016
Agritech 2018
LR Group recently participated as a leading exhibitor and professional speaker in the Agritech Israel Conference 2018, the International Agricultural Technology Exhibition, which is one of the world’s most important exhibitions in the field of agriculture. The conference is established in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israel Export Institute. The event took place between May 8 – 10, 2018 at the Israel Trade Fairs and Convention Center in Tel Aviv. LR Group hosted its distinguished colleagues, including agricultural ministers and respected figures in the global agriculture spectrum.
Mr. Ami Lustig, CEO of LR Group and Public Management Chairman of the Agro Division at the Israel Export Institute led the international panel of project financing, hosting leading figures from the banking and funding industry. Mr. Lustig discussed the options for finance facilitation in the agriculture world.
This is the second time LR has participated in the conference, exhibiting its many projects, modern technologies and innovation implemented worldwide. We are pleased to partake in the conference alongside leading innovators in Israeli agriculture & technology.
First Local Milk Production in Papua New Guinea’s History
Earlier this month Ilimo Dairy Farm made history by producing fresh, local milk in Papua New Guinea for the very first time.
Fresh milk bottles have been distributed and sold throughout the capital, Port Moresby, reducing the milk price in the market in half.
PNG’s Minister for National Planning, Richard Maru, reffered to the Ilimo Dairy Farm as a project that is a substantial investment in the country.
“The formula for a good dairy farm is very simple,” Weiss (aka Innovative Agro Industry chairman and executive director) said.
“Healthy cows produce good, top-quality milk.
“It’s as simple as that.
“We have to make sure that the cows are stress-free, get the best diet, and they will in turn give us the best, top-quality milk that you can get.”
For the rest of the article from “The National” please click here
This marks the start of an entire dairy enterprise that will provide a variety of dairy products and enable locals to enjoy fresh milk at an affordable price.
“The locally produced milk, yogurt and ice cream could replace imported dairy products coming from Australia and New Zealand — both major exporters of dairy products to PNG.
The PNG Government placed high tariffs on milk importers in its 2018 budget and Mr Weiss said the local milk would stay cheaper than the imports.”
For the complete article from “ABC” please click here
Ashalim PV Project Officially Opens
The ribbon cutting ceremony that took place on January 29th 2018 marked the beginning of a new era in Israel’s renewable energy sector.
LR has invested through its affiliated company, Sun Clal, in this ambitious project, Israel’s first wide ranged PV solar power plant. This project is constructed by Sun Clal and EDF as part of the largest renewable energy project in the country and located on a 750,000 m² plot in the Negev desert, ensuring sustainability by producing and selling electricity to the national grid for a tariff lower than the price paid by consumers across the country.
Tailor made to Israel’s hot climate criteria this power plant will produce a new flow of electricity that will help facilitate the outreach of power as well as lower the price of electricity for Israel’s citizens. By implementing and constructing PV solar power plants, Israel will be able to provide new, clean, renewable energy to thousands of homes in the country and address the constant demand for energy within the modern society.
Taluma Farm in Enga Officially Opens
Good Friday saw the end of construction, and beginning of operations of the Taluma Farm in the Enga Province.
The farm is a large scale, state-of-the-art agro-industrial center, engaging up to 200 local farmers.
Among them are twelve young men and women who have gone through extensive training in Israel, and are now providing services to farmers in their communities.
To watch the movie, click on the link: Taluma Farm in enga Officially Opens
LR Group will invest over 200 million shekels in agricultural projects in Papua New Guinea
LR Group will invest over 200 million shekels in agricultural projects in Papua New Guinea.
In August the company signed an agreement to invest 154 million NIS in the development of the dairy sector in PNG, located in the south western part of the Pacific Ocean, north of Australia, and an additional 54 million NIS will be used to establish a frozen vegetables factory. For both projects LR Group received foreign trade risk insurance credit from ASHR’A, the Israel Foreign Trade Risk Insurance Company.
As a part of the transaction for the establishment of the frozen vegetables factory, LR signed an agreement with Highlands AIC, controlled by the Government of Papua New Guinea and Innovative Agro Industries. The plant will be constructed within two years in the mountainous Southern Province, and will help to reduce the dependence of Papua New Guinea on frozen vegetable imports.
Israel Discount Bank will provide trade financing through credit buyers, which will be provided as a loan to Highlands AIC totaling $12 million and guaranteed by the Government of Papua New Guinea. Funding will be provided in stages and according to completion of project milestones. The company will repay the loan over 10 years with the risk of repayment of the loan being insured by ASHR’A.
This is the second export credit deal insured by ASHR’A in five months in Papua New Guinea. The previous export transaction in August last year was also an LR Group export deal to the value of $41 million (approximately 158 million NIS) and funded by Bank Leumi through credit buyers. In the framework of the deal, LR Group signed an agreement with Dairy Central to establish a development center for dairy products in the Central District, adjacent to Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea – and is expected to include a dairy, crops and a dairy processing plant, which will help increase the production of local milk and reduce dependence on imports of dairy products to the state.
The volume of Israeli exports to Papua New Guinea over the past year amounted to $ 3.1 million. Papua New Guinea is rated by ASHR’A as credit risk rating 6 out of 7, which is considered high risk.
According to Tzahi Malah, CEO of ASHR’A, “This is the first year that ASHR’A has insured deals in Papua New Guinea deals and this is the second such transaction in only five months to the amount of approximately $ 55 million. Israel is blessed with advanced technologies and solutions in the fields of agriculture which present significant export potential in countries such as Papua New Guinea, characterized by geographic isolation and heavy dependence on imports.
Ami Lustig, CEO of LR Group, said: “The group specializes in the export of Israeli agricultural technology and know-how, adapted to the host country, and thus creating a significant change in the regional economic development of the host country. The dairy and frozen vegetable plant in Papua New Guinea will be cornerstones in the country’s food sector and will promote sustainability and reduce the countries dependence on imports.
Corinne Ganor, Head of Structured Export Finance at Israel Discount Bank
commented “in recent years the Bank has developed skills and products to provide solutions for a wide range of exports including export to developing countries, in cooperation with the credit.
LR Group, owned by Roy Ben Yami and Ami Lustig, was founded in 1985 and specializes in, among other things, the design, development and construction of projects in the areas of energy, water, agriculture, communications, infrastructure and health. The Group operates in developing countries, establishing agricultural development of large-scale projects, in cooperation with local populations and utilizing their talents, their lands and their resources optimally.
ASHR’A promotes Israeli exports through the provision of credit insurance for export transactions and investments in medium and long-term Israeli exporters. The company offers Israeli exporters diversified insurance solutions that allow minimizing risks and obtaining financing transactions medium- and long-term (1-15 years). The company provides coverage against two types of risk: political risk associated with the rule of the destination country – war, nationalization, etc. – and the commercial risks associated with the entire company carried out the transaction, such as bankruptcy.
Published by The Marker – online – www.themarker.com – on January 26, 2017
Strong Case For Feeding the Nation
As LR expands its works throughout PNG, it is now evident that the use of technologies, space and recycling of water, are part of the tools which yields success. The following PNG REPORT’s new article is covering the outstanding work of 9 Mile farm and it’s immediate positive impact on the market as well as that of other company initiatives. “Everything we do in PNG we do from grass to glass”, says Ilan Weiss , Chairman and Director, “I never take anything for granted in the value or supply chain..”
To read the full article click on the picture.
The New Agro-industrial and Presidential Domain of N’Sele (NOUVEAU DAIPN) presents its fresh and local products to the Congolese people
Following the invitation from DRC Prime Minister office to promote the national projects in Agriculture development, The New Agro-industrial and Presidential Domain of N’Sele (NOUVEAU DAIPN) presented its fresh and local products to the Congolese people between the 22nd to the 24th of October 2016.
Several tons of chickens, eggs and vegetables were sold during this innovative event at optimal prices.
The slogan of NOUVEAU DAIPN is : « Manger frais, Manger Congolais! » (Eat fresh, Eat Congolese) and during these 3 days of presentations, the citizens realized the difference in quality when the produce is local and produced using the best technology and know-how. Due to the success of this exhibition and by request of the population, NOUVEAU DAIPN should restart production in the coming weeks in order to offer the best produce at the best prices, directly to the local market.
The “NOUVEAU DAIPN” is a modern farm project initiated by its Excellency the President of DRC, Joseph Kabila Kabange, together with LR GROUP. Inaugurated in May 2013, the NOUVEAU DAIPN supplies the local Kinshasa market annually with up to 15000 tons of Chicken, 25 million eggs, 1500 tons of vegetables and 1500 tons of fruits. In the near future, NOUVEAU DAIPN will also be able to offer 300 tons of fish and 1200 tons of pork to the local market. The 3000 hectares of the NOUVEAU DAIPN are now blooming with produce grown using modern agro industrial methods at international standards. Over 500 local employees were trained by LR Group in the best modern techniques. As a result the entire country enjoys the impact of this important project, a reduced import and the increase of food security in the country.