A team of officials from Fiji’s Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism and Biosecurity Authority are in Port Moresby to meet with their Papua New Guinea counterparts to iron out issues between the both countries regarding Ox & Palm and other PNG made commercial products.
The meeting’s which started this morning will include a visit to Paradise Foods in Port Moresby, Hugo Canning on the outskirts of the city and Trukai Industries in Lae, for the visiting delegates to undertake technical assessments.
After weeks of back and forth statements, sparking a trade impasse, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, have met to resolve the issue of biosecurity pathways and to discuss other trade issues that can facilitate bilateral trade.
Early last month, Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry, Richard Maru, warned Fiji that PNG would halt Fijian products from entering the market because of unfair trade deals.
The trade war between both countries dates back to 2004, when PNG first tried to export Ox and Palm products to Fiji, however the Fijian government of the day insists on protecting its own product while PNG had allowed Fiji’s Island Beef and other Fijian products to enter its markets.
To this day, PNG products which include Ox and Palm, Trukai Rice and other PNG Made products are still not allowed to enter Fiji’s market despite requests for an open trade.
The meetings, which will culminate with visits to selected manufacturing facilities like Paradise Foods for biscuits, Hugo Canning for Ox and Palm corn beef, and Trukai Industries, in Lae, for Rice, will serve as an opportunity for the Fijian delegates to witness how the products are made and packaged and to settle their concerns about biosecurity issues.
According to Minister Maru, as the two biggest countries party to the Melanesia Spearhead Group, it is better for all involved if this minor issue was settled and both countries come to an understanding.
