Barriers to developing commercial opportunities for Canarium Indicum (galip nut) in small Pacific island states

Dr. Jennifer Carter, Associate Professor in Geography, University of the Sunshine Coast, has been working on barriers to developing commercial activity around the galip nut to provide options for collecting and distributing the nuts to processing plants. 

Canarium indicum (known as galip in Papua New Guinea) is a nut that grows ubiquitously in the Pacific region and is a staple foodstuff. Commercial development in small island states can be limited by the lack of micro-enterprise clusters and regional arrangements across supply chain networks. Dr. Carter’s participatory action research involved stakeholders reflecting on objectives and options during several workshops and training days. Outcomes by local women participating in the research included value-adding to the galip nuts by drying, roasting, salting and flavouring then packaging in plastic packets with local labels and a galip biscuit recipe using nut by-product after oil extraction.

An emerging small-scale nut-cracker manufacturer is hoping to provide equipment at an affordable price. There is now a greater interest in PNG for the galip factory and packaged product and a positive outlook for the establishment of a galip industry. Challenges remain around the costs and reliability of electricity and fuel supplies, and the procurement and retainment of both suitable skilled and unskilled staff. A key aspiration is the desirability of employing young community people in this emerging industry.

Reference: Carter, J and Smith, E.  (2016) Spatialising the Melanesian Canarium industry: understanding economic upgrading in an emerging industry among three Pacific small island states.  Geoforum 75: 40-51.