CPL launches ‘Buy PNG’ week to back local SMEs

CITY Pharmacy Limited has launched a small-to-medium enterprise (SME) and farmer centered programme called “We PNG Buy PNG Week”.
The programme aims to give CPL’s SME partners, farmers and producers an opportunity to showcase and market their products at the Waigani Central Stop and Shop supermarket in Port Moresby.
CPL chief executive officer Navin Raju said the programme was part of the company’s ongoing commitment to support local businesses.
“This is a week-long programme from Monday to Friday this week and will focus on promoting and showcasing SME and farm products and produce to customers,” he said.
“This can hopefully increase sales for both the company and the local business partners and ensure that the customers will be exposed to a large variety of local products and produce,” he said.
Raju said most of their SMEs and farmers had been adversely affected following the civil unrest on Jan 10 which had seen a decrease in sales.
He said CPL had supported local businesses and 80 per cent of their products in the shops were sourced from them.
“We lost four shops and there was a major decrease in volume and our farmers and SMEs have been struggling but we are proud that we have managed to reopen the Badili branch last week.
“We have seen the volumes starting to increase and we are looking to reopen two more shops over the next three months,” Raju said.
He said it was important for large businesses to co-exist with local SMEs and farmers because this supported the local and national economies. Raju said Papua New Guineans had a heritage as farmers and growers and this culture needed to be supported and developed in order for more people to benefit.