Partnership boosts exportability:PHAMA Plus
Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus Program (PHAMA Plus) and Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia are forging closer engagement to support Pacific exporters.
The move will enhance and maintain existing markets and help new exporters identify new opportunities.
The two organisations recently signed an agreement 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 Australia 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 stemmed 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,” PTI Australia Trade Commissioner, Caleb Jarvis, said.
“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 look into reestablishing kava exports from the region into Australia, in 2022 and beyond.” 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.