Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus Program (PHAMA Plus) and Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia are forging closer engagement to support Pacific exporters enhance and maintain existing markets and help new exporters identify new opportunities.

Since the onset of COVID-19 there has been a substantial return to farming in the Pacific, and as such demand for our services to source Australian buyers for Pacific root crop, coffee and kava exporters have also increased.

The two organisations recently signed an agreement to collaborate to strengthen the private sector within PHAMA Plus countries to achieve sustainable export market opportunities in Australia.

PHAMA Plus and PTI Australia are currently working with businesses in the root crop sectors of Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu to better understand the Australian market and opportunities for these products.

“Our collaboration with a key agency such as PTI Australia enhances our efforts to assist Pacific exporters in the agricultural sectors maintain and benefit from market opportunities in Australia that will contribute to economic growth and recovery from the global COVID-19 pandemic,” PHAMA Plus Team Leader Andrew Piper said.

The collaboration between the two organisations stems from mutual interests to strengthen the Pacific Islands’ private sector to better develop market opportunities for Pacific products in Australia. This includes supporting exporters, processors/manufacturers and producers to adopt quality and productivity-enhancing innovations for their exports to meet Australian market requirements.

“Since the onset of COVID-19 there has been a substantial return to farming in the Pacific, and as such demand for our services to source Australian buyers for Pacific root crop, coffee and kava exporters have also increased. As an agency of the Pacific Island Forum, we look forward to working closely with PHAMA Plus to support Pacific agricultural exporters create sustainable connections with Australian buyers and explore beneficial export opportunities. We are especially excited to collaboratively look into re-establishing kava exports from the region into Australia, in 2022 and beyond,” PTI Australia Trade Commissioner Caleb Jarvis said.

PHAMA Plus and PTI Australia will continue to support new and existing Pacific exporters to improve trade, while identifying opportunities for growth within the Australian market.

For media queries please contact:

Filipe Naigulevu

Communications Manager

PHAMA Plus

+679 7090811

f.naigulevu@phamaplus.com.au

Matisse Walkden-Brown

Manager of Marketing and Communications

PTI Australia

matisse@pacifictradeinvest.com  

+61424014045