Weekly exports to start soon

 By ERIC BALARIA

Innovative Agro Industry Ltd will soon start weekly exports of its fresh food produce to Fiji, chief executive officer Lior Crystal says.

The Israeli based-company, which operates the multi-million-kina 9-Mile farm outside Port Moresby, trialed exports to overseas market recently with more than 400kg of tomatoes and lettuce to McDonalds in Fiji.

Crystal said there had been interest from potential clients, and the farm now plans for more exports to the region after the 15th Pacific Games.

“The client (McDonalds) have  shown interest in additional products within our capacity such as capsicum, honey-due rock melons and others, all of which we expect to start exporting in the near future,” Crstal said.

“McDonalds Fiji were very impressed by the quality of our products, we are planning to start sending weekly orders as mentioned following the Pacific Games.

“As the growing tourism industry in Fiji is heavily relaying on imports and is in real need for high quality fresh products we have recently been approached by other potential clients in that area.”

Crystal had said earlier this year that McDonalds Fiji had expressed interest in making a weekly 

purchase of a ton of lettuce and several hundred kilograms of tomatoes with the provision of increasing quantities by at least 30 per cent in the fourth quarter of this year.