Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry Richard Maru wants to improve the country’s trade imbalance with Fiji this year.
PNG being the biggest country, highest population and largest economy in the Pacific is exporting less to Fiji and importing more manufactured goods from its smaller neighbour.
The disparity is within the tune of K54 million.
“Fiji is selling ten times more goods to PNG,” says Maru.
“Currently Fiji exports worth over K58 million in goods sold to PNG, While PNG only exports K4 million so we have a K54 million trade imbalance.”
Maru added that the business houses in the country are not making use of the Melanesia Spearhead Group (MSG) free trade agreement.
“After the signing of the MSG agreement, Fiji has been very aggressive in supplying us with their manufacturing goods like clothes and can foods in our country.
“I was unhappy to see in our own hotel in Fiji (MRDC owned) not selling SP Lager, Fiji is importing sugar from other country when we have a MSG agreement and we could supply sugar.”
Maru revealed that he will be leading a Trade and Investment delegation on a road show to Fiji comprising of PNG business houses to market their products and also make submissions to the government for a trade commissioner to be based in Fiji to improve the PNG export.