Exporters to get help from forum trade panel

 LOCAL exporters will now have a helping hand in making good export decisions, thanks to Pacific Islands Trade and Invest (PT&I).

PT&I, which is an arm of the Pacific Islands forum secretariat based in Fiji, focuses on export-capable businesses and international promotion and support for exporters in Pacific Island countries.

The group has been tasked to develop, grow and promote industry and businesses of all 14 Pacific Island Countries (PICs) in export, investment and tourism promotion across international markets.

Export services manager Jeremy Grennell said PT&I will facilitate trade between Australia and PNG by introducing PNG exporters to those in Australia and New Zealand.

“It is a very important role as far as trade goes between PICs and the international market because we ensure that buyers are legitimate, or from buyers perspective, that producers and sellers and exporters are legitimate.” 

“There is still some uncertainty between buyer and seller so we tend to fill in that gap of trust and make sure there is a consistency of supply and quality of product – so our role there is to fill that gap.” 

Grennell and Teremuara Mato, an export service manager, visited Goroka and Madang this week to meet with coffee and cocoa exporters who might want to export to Australia and New Zealand. 

PT&I was looking for potential exhibitors from among PNG and Pacific Island exporters to showcase their products in Australia’s food exhibition dubbed Fine Food Australia 2014 to be held from Sept 15-18 at the Melbourne exhibition centre.