Food Exports Continue Despite Shipping Delay
FMF Foods Limited continues to export to its 20 overseas markets despite the challenges brought by the coronavirus pandemic.
March sales for the company’s staple food products were not affected.
Company managing director Ram Bajekal said there was uncertainty in shipping services which could hamper exporting of their products.
“FMF has been affected by the pandemic, but more in terms of difficulties in operations and hardship to our people,” Mr Bajekal said.
“In terms of sales, we have been affected by impulse-purchase products such as sweet biscuits and chips.
“Sale of staples, such as flour and rice, were not affected in March.
“We expect these products to be affected from this month as most people bought it in March out of panic.
“We expect sales to drop sharply this month.
“Going into the future, we expect overall purchasing power amongst consumers to drop.”
Export
Mr Bajekal said: “These are all the Pacific Island countries, Australia, New Zealand, United State of America and Canada.
“Just as seen in Fiji, most countries went into panic-buying mode – therefore export demand continued.”
He said the biggest hurdle they faced was the uncertainty in shipping services, by way of delay, erratic schedules and sometimes not calling into ports.
Mr Bajekal said the other alternative was to airfreight certain cargo.
Company adjustments
Like most other companies, FMF had to make adjustments for workers outside the cordoned areas. “Employees living on the Nausori end of the Rewa Bridge are not able to attend work.
“Even here, we have tried to make adjustments.
“For instance, those living in Lami and beyond have been provided work in our Veisari biscuit factory, while those that lived in Suva area but work in Veisari have been provided work at our Walu Bay factories,” Mr Bajekal said.
FMF was established in 1973 and at the time was Fiji’s first and only flour mill, known then as Suva Flour Mills Company Ltd.