FTIB Newsletter
Trade Mission to PNG a Success
The Fiji Islands Trade and Investment Bureau has just concluded a trade mission to Papua New Guinea (PNG). And mission leader and bureau chief executive, Jesoni Vitusagavulu has described it as "successful". The five-day mission was able to secure some orders to be exported beginning next month. Seven Fiji companies were represented by nine participants. The mission entailed one-on-one meetings with PNG counterparts and exhibition of product samples in Port Moresby and Lae. "Among other things we succeeded in creating greater awareness about the range of products which Papua New Guinea can successfully source from Fiji," Mr Vitusagavulu said.
Papua New Guinea, with its population of 4.5 million, offers a significant market for Fiji.
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"It will not be easy to penetrate this large market, but it is not impossible," Mr Vitusagavulu said.
He added that the preferential terms under which Fiji can export to PNG under a bilateral trade agreement with PNG, and the Melanesian Spearhead Group agreement gives Fiji some advantages over other countries. Mr Vitusagavulu, together with Fiji's High Commissioner in PNG, Sekove Naqiolevu met with the PNG Minister for Trade and Industry and his secretary; head of agriculture and quarantine; and officials of the Inland Revenue and Customs Services.
The purpose of those meetings were to discuss how trade flows can be facilitated.
In his meeting with the Minister for Trade & Industry and his Secretary, Mr Vitusagavulu discussed the gazetting of the expanded list of products negotiated sometime back.
Mr Vitusagavulu said he was given assurances by them that they will do everything within their powers to have the list gazetted soon so that trade in those products can begin. "At our request, they will put in place an interim arrangement so that Fiji can begin exporting the products right away."
MSG trade agreement is a multilateral agreement between the four Melanesian countries - Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, PNG and Fiji. Companies represented included PAFCO, Punja & Sons Ltd, Suncourt Hardware Ltd, Domalco Ltd, Sharma Enterprises, Joe¹s Farm and Subrails Furniture. "For those who were going for the first time, they came away convinced that the PNG market is worth targeting," Mr Vitusagavulu said. The mission to PNG is the third such mission this year which is part of the FTIB¹s Pacific Push.
Earlier missions were made to Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu.
For further information contact:
Elisapeci Tamanisau (Ms)
Public Relations Officer
Tel: 315 988, Fax: 301 783.
