THREE Solomon Islands companies are currently participating in the “Pacific Path to Market Trade Mission” which began from March 23-30 in Auckland, New Zealand.

The programme is organised by the Pacific Trade and Investment (PT&I).

The Solomon Islands companies are among 23 Businesses from other Pacific Island countries that attended the event.

Countries attending include Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI).

The Pacific Path to Market (PPTM) is an export capability building programme that covers a series of methodological steps to enter an export market.

The programme includes components such as Participation at the Pasifika Festival in Auckland, Gap Analysis Workshop, Business to Business meetings and Digital Marketing.

The companies taking part were also given the opportunity to promote their companies through various media interviews about their businesses.

They were also linked to potential buyers in New Zealand.

The three Solomon Islands companies attending the programme are Kokonut Pacific, Cathliro Commodities Development Ltd and Labuhila Coffee Farmers Association.

A fourth company, Arania Enterprise Limited could not attend the programme as well as a representative from the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce (SICC).

The Solomon Islands High Commissioner to New Zealand, Her Excellency Mrs Joy Kere attended the welcome ceremony and briefing sessions for the various businesses and also took the opportunity to meet the Solomon Islands businesses representatives.

She was joined by the Solomon Islands Honorary Consul in Auckland, Mr Kayhan Khadem.

The High Commissioner was pleased to hear the potential that Solomon Islands have in exporting its products to New Zealand.

“The Businesses shared a lot of their experiences on entering the NZ Market with their products such as Coconut oil products, Cocoa bean and also coffee beans,” said High Commissioner Kere.

The businesses are happy to be given the opportunity to be part of the Pacific Path to Markets and look forward to making connections with potential buyers in New Zealand for their products.

As part of the work of the High Commission, Mrs Kere stated that, “the Mission will continue to work and strengthen its working relations with the Pacific Trade and Investment organisation to seek avenues that Solomon Islands could open markets for establishing trade and export to New Zealand, especially, its potential agricultural products”.

She said the Mission will continue to work in partnership with the private sector, regional organisations and the NZ businesses sector to support government policies in promoting SMEs and also to increase Solomon Islands export to NZ.

The attendance of Solomon Islands companies at the Pacific Path to Market programme in New Zealand was made possible through the assistance of the Pacific Trade & Invest, the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce, Individual Businesses and the Ministry of Commerce, Industries, Labour and Immigration.

–GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION UNIT