Ox & Palm

Maru said today in Parliament that he received a letter from Fiji’s Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Faiyaz Siddiq Koya this morning.

“I can confirm now, this morning I received an official letter from the Minister of Trade for Fiji dated 23^rd of March, confirming Fiji has now lifted the ban on imports of ox and palm, rice, and biscuits. Its been a long battle and I’m thankful that the Fiji government has come good and I also on behalf of our own country and government thank the Fiji government for finally doing the right thing.

This followed Fiji’s Biosecurity Authority executive chair, Xavier Riyaz Khan, and Fiji’s Trade Commissioner to PNG, Navitalai Tuivuniwai, travelling with a delegation to Port Moresby last month to defuse a looming trade war.

Tuivuniwai told Loop PNG from Fiji that a final decision will be known soon.

“Right now the technical team from the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji are in the process of submitting the final report to government for their endorsement,” Tuivuniwai said.   

PNG Made products, Ox & Palm, Snax biscuits and Trukai rice products for over a decade have been banned to be taken into Fiji because the island nation claims it is unsafe because it does not meet its biosecurity requirements.

A team of officials from Fiji’s Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism and Biosecurity Authority will be arriving in Port Moresby to meet with officials from PNG to and the manufacturers of the products.

A team of officials from Fiji’s Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism and Biosecurity Authority, will be arriving in Port Moresby over the weekend to meet with officials from PNG to iron out issues that sparked the trade impasse. The issue between PNG and Fiji is over Ox & Palm and other PNG Made products.

This was revealed in a letter dated 21st September, 2016, from Minister Siddiq Koya to PNG’s Minister for Trade, Commerce and Industry, Richard Maru.

Its leader Don Polye described the row as an ‘embarrassment for PNG’.

“The Prime Minister and his Trade Minister should leave the matter with the Foreign Affairs Minister, whose department has the capacity and systematic memory to deal with it within the protocols of conventions and agreements.

“It should have easily been dealt with amicably without any complications through the diplomatic channels,” said Polye.

He said PNG is a ‘big brother’ among the Melanesian countries, adding it lodging a trade row with Fiji only reflected naivety and incompetency.

NAQIA managing director Joel Alu stated in a statement that an Import Risk Assessment (IRA) carried out by  Fiji’s quarantine in 2004 (Then known as Ministry of Agriculture, Sugar and Land Resettlement) proved that the canned meat was safe and in line with its biosecurity measures.   

“This was done in 2004. The outcome of this IRA process had been conveyed back to PNG and approval granted by the Fijian competent authority for Ox and Palm corned beef to be allowed market access in Fiji.

He said Ox & Palm is currently being exported to other countries in the region including Australia, Tonga, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and to Europe.

Speaking at the recent MSG Summit in Port Vila, Vanuatu, Maru informed his colleague Ministers that changes to the agreement should include no tariffs on salt, mackerel and sugar for PNG by 2017.

Furthermore, on PACER-Plus he said PNG will not sign on to the PACER-Plus but will stand ready to support other MSG members who want to become members.