When dealing with two of the countries sustainable sectors; manufacturing and agriculture, access to domestic and international markets is vital for the survival of any business.
Small producers in the rural communities, lack the know-how and the established networks to connecting with international markets.
The same dilemma is often faced by SMEs in the urban centres.
Ernestine Maxtone-Graham, is an entrepreneur and SME owner. Her business, MaxtoneHaus, produces and distributes organic coconut products, made in Papua New Guinea, using pure coconut oil that is sourced locally.
However she has expressed concerns about the lack of support given to her and other business owners, when opening up to new domestic and international markets.
According to Maxtone-Graham, a government authority should be established to be readily accessible to entrepreneurs, to help whenever necessary.
What Ernestine and other entrepreneurs like her need are avenues to facilitate trade, to set out what is needed, by law, to enter international markets, and assistance to producing these documents.
This is an all too common plight faced by many Papua New Guinean small to medium enterprises.
Access to markets will mean more business, a healthy contribution to the economy and the exposure of PNG, internationally.
