Mori eyes protection for local goods

TRADE, Commerce and Industry Minister Wera Mori has acknowledged the challenge of protecting locally-produced goods as the country progresses into producing its own products such as the Queen Emma chocolate.
Mori was accompanied by Agriculture and Livestock Minister Benny Allan on a tour of Paradise Foods Ltd factory in Port Moresby on Wednesday.
It is where the chocolate is produced.
The tour followed a visit by the ministers to the Illimo Dairy Farm outside Port Moresby which is being developed by Innovative Agro Industry.
“It’s a coincidence that we have come from the dairy farm which was set up by IAI. We may be looking at January or February to have our own
milk from our farm here” Mori said.
“ That may also be used to produce our chocolates here too.
“It is a challenge for myself and my colleague minister that we should be able to protect our locally-produced products by looking at issues of tariffs and so on.
“We should not be seen to be only protecting our local producers but also support them to remain competitive.”
Allen thanked Paradise Foods for initiating the production of the chocolate in the country.
“It’s encouraging to see our PNG products adding lots of value by being exported overseas – like the chocolate which I believe had been exported to Australia already.
“We are thankful that it will carry PNG’s name abroad and that’s going to also help bring foreign currency into the country to assist with some of the issues we currently have.”