PAFCO supports Fijian Made initiative since 2010
Pacific Fishing Company Pte Limited (PAFCO) is in the business of tuna loin processing for export and tuna canning for both local and international markets.
The company has obtained its Fijian product certification in 2010, after this certification was introduced by Government.
PAFCO chief executive officer, Saiyad Raiyum said they were the oldest producers of canned tuna in Fiji and had always been a Fijian Product.
“PAFCO has been producing Sunbell tuna in its Levuka Plant since 1974,” he said.
“Such certification certainly helps as it spells out to the consumers that the product has been made in Fiji. “It helps drive support for local products and as such help keep Fijians employed.”
Mr Raiyum said all their canned tuna products were certified as Fijian products.
“We have a total of 10 canned tuna products. Sunbell, Ovalau Blue, Koro Sea, Old Capital and Levuka Special are our brands,” he added.
“Sunbell Red label is the most famous canned tuna in Fiji. It is almost a 50-year-old brand and has stood the test of time.”
He said these were their major products for local and exports into Pacific Island Countries.
“As such PAFCO’s major revenue is generated through these products sales. Even our products slogan is ‘Made by Fijians for Fijians’. This helps people to identify with the product,” Mr Raiyum said. He said PAFCO’s operations began in the mid to late fifties as a joint venture between the Fiji Government and the Japan Ministry of Trade and Commerce, and then incorporated in 1963 as a private company. “Currently, Fiji Government is the majority shareholder with 99.6 per cent shareholding and PAFCO is governed by the Public Enterprises Act 2019 with the board of directors and the oversight role is undertaken by the Department of Public Enterprises,” he said. “We also process all our fish waste and this is turned into Fishmeal and also fish oil is extracted.
“This makes us a zero-waste company. PAFCO is an operation of significant size with a complicated production process.
“Several key skilled personnel are on the management team supported by capable assistants and the hourly paid employees.”
He said the processing of raw tuna into frozen tuna loins and canned products required significant manual labour and was also capital intensive.
“PAFCO has around 97 per cent of staff recruited from the Lomaiviti community. We are proud to note that almost 65 per cent of our employees are females,” he said.
“We produce and supply the best quality tuna products. Our factory is fully HACCP, MOH Fiji, US FDA and SQF certified.
“PAFCO is largest employer in the Lomaiviti Group. PAFCO is also the largest contributor to the economy of Ovalau and Lomaiviti Group.
“We employ up to 880 people when running double shifts. And indirectly almost a 100 other people are employed as contractors for transportation, cleaning, and other works. As such they support a populace of around 10,000 in the Lomaiviti group.”