PAFCO Production on Track: Jannif

After a slow start to the year, operations at Pacific Fishing Company (PAFCO) have been going well, over the past few months. PAFCO board chairman Ikbal Jannif says this was the result of the consistent supply of albacore to the Levuka based processing plant and cannery.

In light of COVID-19 and its impact on businesses across the world, including Fiji, Mr Jannif confirmed PAFCO continues to employ all its staff.

“No one was sent on leave and no one was made redundant.

“We have managed to secure sufficient fish stock through our contracted customer, Bumblebee.

“In fact, because of good fish supplies, we were able to operate two shifts per day for several weeks in June.

“We’re back to one shift at the moment but we are expecting supplies to improve about halfway through July. We will then go back to two shifts.

“When we run a single shift, we have around 575 people working. “When we run two shifts, we have 820 working.

“Over the last few months, there have been a number of people who have gone back to Levuka from other places in Fiji and some of them have applied for and have been employed as casual workers on a needs basis at PAFCO.

“But they have not replaced any local residents, who are working at PAFCO.

Mr Jannif confirmed that this group of casual workers may have lost jobs from the hotel industry or from other industries. “They’ve applied for jobs. When we have an opening we bring them in as casual workers.

“And then when that work is finished, they go.”

He says refurbishments at PAFCO are ongoing. They have to be done without disrupting production.

Mr Jannif has maintained a positive outlook for PAFCO’s future, “as long as we get the fish”.