Pacific Trade Invest (PTI)

Pacific tastes shine at Fine Food Australia 2023

The event is the Southern Hemisphere’s leading trade exhibition for the food, hospitality, and retail industries to be held from September 11-14 this year.

As part of Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia’s ‘Pacific Showcase’ stand, the eight producers selected to partake in the exhibition include Papua New Guinea’s Devine Management Services and Frangipani Foods, Fiji’s Nama Cuisine, Fiji Kava, Green Gold Kava and Pacific Premium, and Solomon Islands’ SolTuna and Kokonut Pacific Solomon Islands (KSPI).

Reports on COVID disruption in Pacific released

Commissioned by PTI and conducted by the independent research agency, Fifth Quadrant, these reports draw on data collected throughout the PTI Pacific Business Monitor surveying periods, providing a retrospective examination of the economic and societal effects of the pandemic on the agriculture, retail, tourism sectors, and female-led businesses.
 

PTI-Australia announces freight assistance

This is according to an article published in the IPA ‘Opportunity Newsletter’ from the 6th edition.

PTI conducted an export survey and found out that freight costs are one of the top three barriers to export faced by businesses in the Pacific. According to PTI- Australia, the initiative to support pacific exporters came in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The freight assistance package aims to grow the demand for pacific goods and services in international markets and support the development of e-commerce in the Blue Pacific.

Relief For Pacific Exporters

This was a challenge that has only exacerbated as businesses across the region contend with the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and a myriad of interrelated social and economic pressures.

To support business recovery during this challenging time, PTI Australia launched the Packaging Support Initiative in early 2022 and has since seen over eighteen successful applicants receive the financial rebate.

Rise In E-Commerce Engagement: Survey

The Pacific Business Monitor is a regular survey tracking the effects of COVID-19 on businesses in the Pacific region by the Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) global network.

Since tracking began in May 2020, between 12 and 29 percent of respondents have consistently reported their business as having pivoted to sell or do more online in response to the impact of COVID-19.

This month’s survey saw that to increase to 35 percent; the highest level since tracking began.

Rising mental health concerns for business owners

Pacific Business Monitor’s October’s Wave 7 survey saw 74 percent of business owners reporting that COVID-19 is having a negative impact on their mental health. This is nearly a 10 percent increase from last month (65 percent) and is the highest figure reported since surveying begun in May.