Fiji accepts Ox & Palm, Trukai rice

PRODUCTS from Papua New Guinea such as Ox and Palm corned beef, Trukai rice and Paradise biscuits will soon be back on supermarket shelves in Fiji, according to a media report in Suva.
It ends a recent row between the two countries over the import of PNG products into Fiji as part of a trade agreement between Melanesian countries. PNG threatened to ban all Fiji products into PNG if the agreement was not honoured by Fiji.
Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry Richard Maru told The National last week he was yet to be briefed on the outcome of talks between PNG and Fiji officials in Port Moresby on the matter.
The officials were from the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji and National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority. They held discussions with Trukai, Hugo Canning Company Ltd and Paradise Foods Ltd.
BAF chief executive  officer Xavier Khan told Fiji One News in Suva that imports to the country would resume after permits had been drawn up. Both countries had agreed to the terms.
Fiji’s Trade Minister Faiyaz Koya was also quoted as saying: “Pacific countries are very important to Fiji with respect to trade especially PNG. We have lots of trade happening, we value our relationship with all the countries and it is so important to get the pathways created.
“We have got the MSG agreement that allows free trade with the MSG countries. So it’s an important thing for us and obviously sometimes there are hiccups. When these hiccups arise, there are ways to deal with them properly.”