Delegates from the Ministry of Agriculture and a group of exporters will promote Fiji’s Fresh, Healthy and Nutritious Agricultural Products at the Australian Fine Food Show in Sydney, Australia next week.
The head of the delegation, Deputy Secretary Corporate Services and Planning, Mrs Maca Tulakepa said that the demand for Fiji’s agricultural products in the export market continues to grow as a result of the growing populations of our Pacific people living in Australia and New Zealand.
She said that Fiji is highly recognized for its high quality agricultural products such as papaya, dalo, ginger, cassava, vanilla and coconut products such as virgin coconut oil which are the major export produce for the Australian market.
“Dalo (taro) is Fiji’s largest export commodity and a study conducted by the EU-Funded Facilitating Agricultural Commodity Trade Project stated that Fiji dalo is responsible for over 90% of all Taro exports from the Pacific Island countries.
“It is however noted, that the younger generations of Pacific Island nation’s residing abroad are exposed to fast foods which has changed the taste and preference for our Pacific cuisine.
“It is therefore essential that Fiji continues to promote Fiji Grown produce in these markets to maintain our shares for our export products and more importantly our people have access to the food that is nourishing and wholesome for healthy life,” Mrs Tulakepa said.
Fine Food Australia is an annual event celebrated with the aim of connecting buyers and sellers within the food industry.
The Fine Food Show is Australia’s leading trade show and presents new and innovative products from around Australia and from over 45 countries internationally, as well as live demonstrations, master classes and industry recognized competitions.
During the exhibition, the Fiji delegates are expected to build interest of Non Pacific Islanders to buy Fiji products by making promotional cooking demonstration and tasting, promote Fiji’s Fresh and Agricultural Products and to inform the Australian public on new Pacific taste cuisine using Fiji’s fresh produce. We need to identify the export standard and requirements for agricultural commodities, identify the demand levels and also address the issues affecting Fiji exports in Australia.
“The Australian Fine Food Exhibition will commence on the 20th-23rd of September and the success of this promotion mission will impact on the increase in our market share on root crops and other Fiji products exported to Australia,” Mrs Tulakepa said.