Seeds & Research

Seeds and research are a strategic capability within NBPOL’s agribusiness platform, supporting long‑term productivity, sustainability and value creation across the palm oil sector.

NBPOL produces and supplies high‑grade oil palm planting material through the Dami Oil Palm Research and Seed Production Centre in West New Britain, Papua New Guinea. Backed by decades of breeding expertise and research investment, Dami is recognised globally for producing reliable, high‑performing oil palm seeds.

NBPOL’s seed operations support both internal replanting requirements and commercial sales to external growers, domestically and internationally.

Dami oil palm planting material is the result of an intensive and long‑term breeding programme, supported by applied research and a purpose‑built tissue culture laboratory.

Key performance characteristics include:

• High fresh fruit bunch (FFB) yields
• Very early bearing and early yield profiles
• Exceptional oil extraction rates
• Strong total palm product yields
• No Dura contamination (100% Legitimate)

These characteristics support improved plantation economics and more efficient land use over the full crop lifecycle

The Dami Oil Palm DxP seed is developed from an extensive germplasm base, incorporating breeding material from Malaysia, Cameroon, Congo and Ghana.

Key strengths of Dami DxP seeds:

• Proven early and high yield performance
• Consistent quality through rigorous parent palm selection
• 100% disease‑free planting material, supported by the absence of significant oil palm diseases on the island of New Britain
• Intensive quality control throughout seed production

With appropriate management inputs, Dami planting material can achieve more than 30 tonnes per hectare of fresh fruit bunches within 48 months of planting, supporting early return on investment and long‑term profitability.

NBPOL’s seed and research activities are closely integrated with SD Guthrie Group research capabilities, enabling continuous improvement and innovation.

Ongoing research initiatives include:

• Advanced breeding programmes
• Tissue culture development
• Molecular marker research
• Performance optimisation and selection

NBPOL is actively advancing the SuperFamily® seeds programme and preparing for the rollout of the GenomeSelect™ programme, strengthening future genetic gains and planting material performance.

NBPOL’s Dami oil palm seeds are commercially available to other growers, supporting responsible expansion, replanting and productivity improvement across the industry.

Seed production and supply are managed in accordance with strict quality, traceability and phytosanitary controls.

As part of the SD Guthrie Group, NBPOL’s seed and research capabilities contribute to:

• Long‑term upstream productivity improvement
• Sustainable plantation development
• Science‑based decision‑making in agribusiness

Dami Research Centre complements SD Guthrie’s broader innovation and sustainability agenda, reinforcing the Group’s leadership in certified sustainable palm oil.