Fiji trade delegate highlights PNG’s agricultural potential for export

Papua New Guinea has a huge agricultural potential that can tap into the Fiji market and supply its agricultural products.

A visiting delegate from Fiji who was among thirty [30] people on a trade mission to Port Moresby from March 23^rd to 27^th, has revealed this, highlighting PNG’s agriculture and resource potential as huge compared to Fiji.

Paradise Technologies Director, Raghu Chowdhary, said comparing resources potential between Fiji and PNG, Fiji has only sugar, fish and tourism, however, PNG has huge potential in extractive resources and agriculture that it can look into the Fiji market.

"We visited a few places and discovered that, for example, we're currently importing tomatoes, and the price is around K10 for half a kilo. Here, you can get it for just K2 or K3 per kilo. So, why not consider the possibility of importing from PNG to Fiji?" he said.

"In Fiji, one of our strengths is having over a million tourists, all of whom need food. Much of this food, like special vegetables such as broccoli and tomatoes, is imported from Australia and New Zealand. But we should also consider sourcing these products from PNG."

“Mr. Chowdhary, with the Fiji trade delegation who had the opportunity to visit the innovative agro-industries farm at 9-mile in Port Moresby during their weeklong mission in Port Moresby, was impressed with what has been produced.

“You have a lot of resources unlike us; why can’t you look at the Fiji market and us vice versa. Our Deputy Prime Minister [Manoa Kamikamica] is supportive and would like to see more of two-way trade and investment between both countries”.

“We have re-established our embassy in Port Moresby because our Prime Minister said we have to maintain a good relationship with our neighbors and we see there is interest that is why we took a delegation to Port Moresby, and we would like to see more of this, and we expect PNG delegation to come to Fiji soon”.

While there is significant interest and potential between the two Melanesian countries, Mr. Chowdhary emphasized the need to improve air services between them. He stated that there should be more frequent flights from Fiji to PNG and vice versa.

“Now all these things are possible if there are more flights from Fiji to PNG and PNG to Fiji. Right now, we have only one flight per week, so we have suggested that there should be frequent flights because once we have more flights, more people will go, and vice versa, it becomes a bit cheaper”, he said.