Call to setup processing plants

 By GYNNIE KERO

A FEMALE entrepreneur is calling on the government to establish downstream processing facilities in key locations throughout the country.

Sepik Tours operator Josephine Kenni said this after returning from the Trade Pasifika organised by the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO) in Suva last week.

The event’s objective was to offer an opportunity to grow and develop trade leads, meet and network with Pacific Island businesses and to create relationships.

Kenni said: “This is one of the shows I have never been to, the Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) did a good selection, it did not handpick from Port Moresby. It was good selection from across the country.”

Besides being a tour operator in East Sepik, Kenni introduced rubber to Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.

Comparing other Pacific Island nations with the country she said: “Fiji is exporting ginger, chillie, taro, etc which PNG has.

“Fijians are passionate about their work, how they grow taro and its now one of their exports. We have taro here.

“In PNG we have all these produce; we have to start selling them overseas.

“The country has to stop exporting raw materials and establish semi processing facilities like what Fiji is doing,” she said.

“There’s interest for timber and coconut in the Pacific, we have to process these here if we want to fetch good money.”

“I found out that I can get my bilum ladies back home (East Sepik) to sell their handicrafts like bilums and carvings. Trade Pasifika has opened up a market.”