Agriculture produce on high demand

AGRICULTURAL produce from PNG is in high demand in Guangdong and other provinces in China, according to PNG Chamber of Commerce and Industry president John Leahy.
Leahy told The National that this allowed for downstream processing opportunities to be established in the country to cater for the demand.
“They are really looking for agricultural products and also looking at opportunities to do on shore processing in the source country of the product. So they can process them here and take them back to China,” Leahy said.
“China itself has become more high-cost. Everyone thinks that they are a really low-cost producer but that has changed over time because their currency is getting stronger.
“They are not so much low-cost anymore. So they are looking to put manufacturing operations in other countries like the current arrangement that is in place in Cambodia where raw goods are manufactured than brought over to China.
“There are opportunities for downstream processing through partnering with business not only in Guangdong but other centers in China.”
He noted how greater collaboration between business communities could be of mutual benefit especially in terms of agriculture and food supplies.
“There is a substantial need for technical support in agriculture. As PNG expands there could be opportunities for the experience of Chinese businesses to work on similar challenges faced in this country,” he said.
“There is already interest from China who are very welcome in this country.”